Pastoral Lines

Issue 5 February 2007

FEATURES IN THIS ISSUEThe pastoral lease market: July 2005 - June 2006Selecting and preparing cattle for live exportAre the pastoral rangelands improving or declining?Heritage areas on pastoral leasesGrants and subsidies for pastoralistsSPECIAL FEATURE: Focus on education: the Next Generation

The Official Magazine of The Pastoral Lands Board

ISSN: 1834-2566

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Executive Editor: Brian Lloyd

Editorial Enquiries: (08) 9347 5126

Postal Address: Pastoral Land Business Unit, Department for Planning and Infrastructure, PO Box 1575, Midland, Western Australia, 6936.

Email: plb@dpi.wa.gov.au

Material from this magazine is copyright. It may be reprinted; however, in all cases the source must be fully acknowledged.

Copyright© The Director General of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, Western Australia 2007.

ISSN 1834-2566

Pastoral Lines is the official magazine of the Pastoral Lands Board of Western Australia. It is published in December each year and has a circulation of 1,500 which includes all pastoral lessees and station managers. It is distributed free of charge.

Pastoral Lines is also available electronically on the website: www.dpi.wa.gov.au/pastoralunder ‘Information and Publications’.

Pastoral Lines

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It is expected that in the coming months a Green Bill will be completed for consideration and comment by the pastoral industry and stakeholders on the proposal for rolling tenure pastoral leases. I hope that you will take the opportunity to provide your views on this very important issue for your industry.

The third Gascoyne Muster was held in September 2006 with a focus on younger players in the industry. There were some excellent presentations including some from young pastoralists. Climate change and succession planning and attracting young people to the industry were key topics. Thanks to all those who were prepared to contribute to the discussions.

Pastoral Lines once again contains interesting and useful information and I draw your attention to the strong education theme in this issue and the encouragement for those in the industry to make use of their well developed skills and experience to achieve more formal qualifications.

There is also much valuable information on a range of business and sustainability issues, including some excellent articles

on management issues affecting pastoral leases, information on a range of grants and subsidies available to pastoralists and a frank piece that explores whether the rangelands are improving or not.

Regards

Alannah MacTiernanMinister for Planning and Infrastructure

From the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure

It is my pleasure to welcome two new members to the Pastoral Lands Board whose experience and knowledge will benefit your industry greatly.

Mr Paul Baron is the General Manager of the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation, the lessees of Cardabia Station north of Coral Bay. Paul will bring the important perspectives of indigenous peoples to the Board.

Ms Ruth Webb-Smith is a lessee of Wyloo Station in the Ashburton and has been a member of several committees and groups associated with the pastoral industry. She will be a Deputy Member of the Board.

We expect some additional appointments in the next month.

I look forward to working with the new members and indeed the whole Board to ensure the effective administration of pastoral leases.

Welcome to this latest issue of Pastoral Lines.

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Contents

From the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure 3• About the Pastoral Lands Board 5• Current members of the Pastoral Lands Board 6-7

Pastoral Management News 8• Pastoral Lease Management

• Best Management Practices for the pastoral industry 8

• Wild dog management: the Best Practice Manual 9• Growing non-indigenous pastures on

pastoral leases 10-11• Diversification Permits and other obligations 11• Changing your pastoral lease boundaries 12• Separate Annual Returns 13• Truckloads of industry information

on the Pastoral Lands website 13• Stock

• Correct identification of stock 14-15• Transport of livestock 15• Bluetongue in pastoral areas 16• Selecting and preparing cattle for live export 16-17• Agisting stock on pastoral leases 17

• Environment• Rangeland monitoring helps answer

the question: Are the pastoral rangelands improving or declining? 18-19

• Biodiversity conservation in the rangelands 20-21• ‘Declared plants’ in Western Australia 21• The rangelands Natural Resource

Management plan 22-23• Clearing native vegetation on pastoral leases 24-26• Quarantine vital in Western Australia’s

pastoral areas 27-28• Mesquite: Waging the war in the Pilbara 28-29

• Water• Costs of watering stock in the rangelands 30• Obligations for providing water for livestock 30-32• Soil erosion at stock water points 33• Carnarvon Artesian Basin

rehabilitation project 34-35

Features 36• Review into industry training for

Aboriginal pastoralists 36• The 2006 Gascoyne Muster : The Next Generation 37• The pastoral lease market: July 2005 to June 2006 38• Pastoralists and miners: joint managers of land 39-40• Heritage areas on pastoral leases 41-42• Update on the Biosecurity and Agriculture

Management (BAM) Bill 2006 42• Important changes to the Agriculture Protection rate 43• Focus on Education: the Next Generation 44

• Schooling your children• Today’s remote education in the

‘virtual classroom’ 44-45• Pastoral students from Morawa take

to the road 46• Educating the next generation of pastoralists

at Tardun 47-48• Tertiary education for the pastoral industry

• Further education – it isn’t what it used to be! 49• Learning for success in the rangelands: new

opportunities for further study from home 50-51• Certificate level qualifications for

station staff 51

Help for the Homestead 52• Travelling in outback Western Australia 52• New rainfall information on the web 52-53

• Grants and subsidies for pastoralists 53• Increase in pastoral water grants 53• Substantial subsidies for station

power supplies 54• Cash incentives to buy energy-efficient

appliances 54• Funding for fencing of road reserves

on main roads 55-56• Save money with a ‘seasonal vehicle licence’ 56• Free computer training for pastoralists 57

• 2007 – The Centenary of the Pastoralists and Graziers’ Association 58

• Get your contact details up-to-date 59

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About the Pastoral Lands BoardThe Pastoral Lands Board of Western Australia is established under the LandAdministration Act 1997. Functions of the Board are to:

a) advise the Minister on policy relating to the pastoral industry and the administration of pastoral leases;

b) administer pastoral leases in accordance with Part 7 of the LAA;

c) ensure pastoral leases are managed on an ecologically sustainable basis;

d) develop policies to prevent the degradation of rangelands;

e) develop policies to rehabilitate degraded or eroded rangelands and to restore their pastoral potential;

f) consider applications for the subdivision of pastoral land and make recommendations to the Minister in relation to them;

g) establish and evaluate a system of pastoral land monitoring sites;

h) monitor the numbers and the effect of stock and feral animals on pastoral land;

i) conduct or commission research into any matters that it considers are relevant to the pastoral industry;

Members of the Pastoral Lands Board with the Minister (L to R): Rod Campbell, Roger O’Dwyer (for David Hartley), Sandra Eckert, Paul Baron, Ruth Webb-Smith, Graeme Rundle, Hon Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and Graeme Robertson.

j) provide such other assistance or advice as the Minister may require in relation to the administration of Part 7 of the LAA; and

k) exercise or perform such other functions as it may be given under the LAA or any other Act.

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Prof Graeme Robertson - Chairman

Professor Robertson is currently Director and Professor of the Muresk Institute, Curtin University of Technology. He was previously the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture and Chairperson of the Federal Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation.

Graeme was a Rhodes Scholar and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Agriculture obtained at Oxford University. He also has an Honours degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Western Australia.

He has been involved in a wide range of research, development and management activities in many aspects of primary industry in Western Australia. He has also held key roles on many boards and committees in relation to agriculture, the pastoral industry and natural resource management.

Peter Leutenegger - Pastoral Member

Peter has been the lessee of Napier Downs Station, east of Derby since 1992. Prior to this he worked on sheep and cattle stations in Queensland and in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.

Graeme Rundle - Conservation Member

Graeme has a special interest in biodiversity conservation, with a focus on the rangelands, which has involved interaction with related government agencies, and the pastoral and mining industries.

Current members of the Pastoral Lands Board

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Paul Baron - Aboriginal Member

Paul is the General Manager of the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation, the lessees of Cardabia Station north of Coral Bay.

Sandra Eckert - Representing the Director General of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure.

Sandra is a legal practitioner and is currently a Senior Solicitor with the Legislative and Legal Services section of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure.

David Hartley - Representing the Director General of the Department of Agriculture and Food

David is the Executive Director of Natural Resource Management with the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Two other pastoral members will be appointed shortly.

Deputy members of the Board are:

Rod Campbell - Deputy to Pastoral Member

Rod is the current lessee of Kybo Station on the Nullarbor and has over 40 years experience in station management.

Ruth Webb-Smith - Deputy to Pastoral Member

Ruth was a previous lessee of Beefwood Park in the Kimberley and is now a lessee of Wyloo Station in the Ashburton. Ruth has also been a member of several committees and groups associated with the pastoral industry.

Jack Burton - Deputy to Peter Leutenegger

Jack is the lessee and manager of Kilto, Yeeda and Mt Jowlaenga Stations in the West Kimberley and operates a horticultural business on a special lease within Kilto Station. He also has interests in Mabel Downs, Springvale and Alice Downs in the Kimberley.

Dr Tony Brandis - Deputy to Graeme Rundle

Tony holds a Master of Environmental Science, Master of Education and Doctor of Natural Resource Management. He is a Senior Policy Adviser and Project Manager with the Department of Environment and Conservation and has responsibility for establishing the conservation reserve system in the rangelands.

Mrs Marion Dolby - Deputy to Paul Baron

Marion, along with her husband, manages Mt Pierre Station near Fitzroy Crossing.

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In December 2005, the Pastoral Lands Board sent every pastoralist copies of the Best Management Practices (BMPs) relevant to them.

Have you still got yours?

It is important that you keep these booklets with your records, as they outline the relevant best management practices for the various sections of the industry and areas of the State.

Why are the BMPs important?

It is a requirement, under section 108 (2) of the Land Administration Act 1997 that:

“The lessee must use methods of best pastoral and environmental management practice, appropriate to the area where the land is situated, for the management of stock and for the management, conservation and regeneration of pasture for grazing.”

The Board uses the BMPs to judge compliance with the Act. The booklets also provide you with directions on permissible vegetation clearance

associated with running a station; including constructing and maintaining fencing, providing watering points, yards, holding facilities and airstrips, and access to these facilities, and burning to improve pasture production.

Best Management Practices and clearing on a pastoral lease

The Regulations for Clearing Native Vegetation introduced on 8 July 2004 require a permit for clearing native vegetation by any means, including fire, unless the clearing has been approved or is required under other legislation.

For pastoral leases, there is an exemption from these regulations, in accordance with the Land Administration Act 1997 to allow grazing of stock, and some exemptions under section 109 for clearing for pastoral purposes from time to time, such as along fence lines. These clearing activities are allowed, providing you do it in a manner that achieves sustainable management of the rangelands.

As a pastoralist, you do not have to seek approval to clear native vegetation if you are going about your day-to-day pastoral business activities and you are complying with ‘best management practices’.

However, you need to refer to the BMPs to ensure your actions are, in fact, considered best management practice. Therefore, we strongly advise you to keep a copy of the BMPs in your office.

For further information, please refer to the article on clearing which is also in this edition of Pastoral Lines.

If you want another copy of the Best Management Practices for your area, please call the PLBU office on (08) 9347 5126. The BMPs are also available on the Pastoral Land’s website at www.dpi.wa.gov.au/pastoral under ‘Policies’.

Best Management Practices for the pastoral industry

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Several years ago, growing concern about increasing wild dog activity and damage through many regions of WA led the Agriculture Protection Board to commission an industry review of the State’s wild dog control program.

The review panel’s report in 2003 identified a number of issues, among them the need for all land managers in wild dog areas to heed their obligation to control wild dogs.

The report also promoted best-practice management to cost-effectively reduce the impacts of wild dogs.

These points were further identified in the WA Wild Dog Management Strategy published and circulated in 2005.

What is ‘Best Practice’?

‘Best Practice’ involves integrating multiple techniques in a planned and coordinated way, taking account of overall land management objectives, species biology and other scientific information, and accumulated experience; ie using the best information and techniques available at the time to better manage the impacts of the pest.

Over the years, landholders have had access to a variety of information covering aspects of wild dog biology and control. However, the industry review panel identified a need for a single compilation of material on wild dog management, with updated information covering all control techniques. This need has been further reinforced by a general loss of wild dog expertise in the industry, and an increased number of land managers and staff who have had little or no previous exposure to wild dog problems.

Wild dog management: the Best Practice Manual

The Best Practice Manual

As a result, a Best Practice Manual was produced and widely distributed during mid-2006. All pastoralists and other land managers in wild dog areas should have received one. The manual is a ‘one-stop shop’ of information on wild dogs in WA, from legislative requirements and strategic approaches, to wild dog management, the background biology of wild dogs, through to advice on applying the various control techniques.

Although predominantly aimed at those with minimal experience with wild dog damage and control, the manual should remain a useful reference for others to review their responsibilities and approaches to wild dog management.

Copies of the Wild Dog Management Best Practice Manual (Bulletin 4677) can be obtained from the: Department of Agriculture and Food, 3 Baron Hay Court, South Perth WA 6151, Freecall: 1800 084 881 or email: info@agric.wa.gov.au

Within Western Australia, landholders are legally obliged to control wild dogs (dingoes, hybrids, and feral domestic dogs) under the relevant

provisions of the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976 (ARRPA). The sole purpose of these provisions is to minimise the impacts

of wild dogs on livestock production. Wild dogs in areas far removed from livestock grazing areas are not targeted by the various control

programs, as they pose little or no threat to livestock.

Pastoral Management News

Pastoral Management News

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Growing non-indigenous pastures on pastoral leasesBrian Lloyd, Pastoral Project Officer, Pastoral Land Business Unit.

Pastoralists are showing increasing interest in growing non-indigenous pastures for fodder.

To do this on a pastoral lease, pastoralists need to apply to the Pastoral Lands Board for a Diversification Permit.

It is probable they will also have to apply for a permit to clear land (of any native plant, including trees, grasses or shrubs) from the Department of Environment and Conservation and also a Licence to Take Water from the Department of Water.

The application to the Board requires information on the species of plant to be grown and the nominated species will form part of the conditions of the permit.

If the permit is granted, no other non-indigenous pasture species can be grown without first consulting the Board.

Is it right for you?

An important question for every pastoralist who wants to grow non-indigenous pastures is “Is this right for me?”

The envisaged benefits of growing your own fodder may appear attractive on paper, but the costs (both up-front and hidden) of growing non-indigenous pastures may be considerable, particularly if you plan to irrigate the pastures.

Probably the biggest issue is managing the fodder area, as making hay is a specialised business – it will take expertise, timely management and may affect the way your cattle business is run.

Before outlaying substantial money on significant fodder growing systems, all potential costs of your proposal (including any for unforeseen circumstances) need to be thoroughly considered against other options which may apply to your situation, such as destocking (if the fodder is to be used as a ‘drought reserve’) or buying in fodder.

Substantial planning and site investigation needs to be undertaken before embarking on these types of projects. You should allow about five per cent of the total project set-up cost for project investigation.

Points to consider

Points you should seriously consider before embarking on a non-indigenous pasture growing program include:

• Site survey and investigation, including investigation of soil types, landform levels and water quality and quantity. You need to ensure that your proposal is sustainable.

• Species of pastures best for your needs (including any weed potential of species and how you would plan to manage this).

• Development costs to get the site up to production.

• Fuel costs can be substantial, particularly if you plan to run pumps for irrigating. For example, running one centre pivot over a 30-hectare plot can cost $20 per hour for fuel and maintenance. The pump may also need replacement every five to six years.

• Operating equipment. This will vary depending on the proposed type of operation, but some non-indigenous pasture proposals involve pivot irrigators and cutting and baling hay. Depending on the risk you are willing to accept, each implement used for the operation may also need one (or more) back-up implements, because if there is a breakdown at a critical point (eg between cutting and baling) you may risk the value of your crop being substantially reduced (or even wiped out). Depending on your operation, you may need tractors, mowers, fertiliser spreaders, rakes, balers and front-end loaders, as well as a significant shed area for storage. Stand-alone implements such as tractors and balers may cost around $190,000 each. Remember also, that old machinery will have increased maintenance requirements. Also, water quality (and resultant corrosion) will determine the replacement interval of pipes, which may, for example, need replacement every 10 years.•

Fuel costs for irrigation pumping can be considerable.

It currently costs $22,000 to fill this pump’s fuel tank.

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• Staff capabilities. Much of the knowledge to operate, maintain and repair equipment such as pivot irrigators and balers is highly specialised. Also, if there is a breakdown, it may need to be fixed immediately if your operation is at a crucial point and other ‘essential’ station tasks may have to be put on hold. This could, in turn, affect your core business, possibly at a critical time. Timing of operations is very important and delaying essential operations may significantly affect the final product. You need to consider this and, depending on the scale of operation, you may need additional staff.

Before applying for permission to undertake diversification activities such as pastorally-based tourism or growing fodder crops, be aware that there may be some requirements to abide by under legislation other than the LandAdministration Act 1997.

There is a condition in all permits that the permit holder must comply with the requirements of any statute, by-law or regulation relating to the land covered by the permit, and the use of that land. This is not new. The Land Administration Act 1997 ensures appropriate administration of pastoral leases. However, other legislation ensures requirements of other Acts are also met.

Examples include:

• Obtaining a clearing permit from the Department of Environment and Conservation;

• Obtaining the relevant approval to take water from the Department of Water;

Diversification Permits and other obligations

• Gaining approvals from the local shire in relation to the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Act 1995, the Health Act 1911 and/or associated regulations and by-laws; and/or

• Meeting obligations under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972.

Not all these Acts apply to all Diversification Permit holders. However, you need to be aware that there may be lawful requirements under other Acts with which permit applicants may need to comply.

An information leaflet giving more detail of these types of requirements and when they may apply is currently being produced.

In the meantime, for further information, please call Brian Lloyd of the Pastoral Land Business Unit on (08) 9347 5121.

• Ongoing costs of meeting requirements such as permit conditions (including any requirement for annual monitoring of weeds) or an operating strategy, which may be a requirement of the Department of Water before it issues a Licence to Take Water.

Remember also that permits cannot be utilised by a third party – they are available only to the pastoralist. Pastoralists wanting to involve a third party in growing non-indigenous pastures may be able to apply under the LandAdministration Act 1997 for a section 79 lease. Also, permits are not able to be transferred with the lease, although a

streamlined application may be available to the purchaser of a lease with a current permit.

For further information, please contact Brian Lloyd at the Pastoral Land Business Unit on (08) 9347 5121.

Pastoral Management News

Ross McGuigan Executive Officer, Pastoral Land Business Unit.

On many pastoral stations, geographical features affect the viability of developing remote parts of the lease area or make it difficult to fence on the surveyed boundary.

In some cases, just the shape of a boundary line can make it uneconomic to consider fencing.

Neighbours quite often reach informal agreements as to the mutual use of a section of country or the on-ground position of a boundary fence. Where properties do not change hands, these agreements may endure for generations.

In the last year we have seen a number of long-term pastoralists leaving the industry to retire. When a potential purchaser is looking over a property, these informal arrangements can come to light.

It can never be assumed that a new owner will honour any informal agreements and they may move to reclaim part of a lease fenced into a neighbouring property.

It is important to be aware that pastoral leases are Crown land and are not subject to adverse possession claims under the Transfer of Land Act 1893.

In most cases, it is not a difficult process to formalise these agreement to everyone’s satisfaction. Depending on the circumstances, several sections of Part 7 of the Land Administration Act 1997 can be used to amend a lease boundary.

Another time to consider boundary adjustments is when you are developing a future business plan for your pastoral enterprise.

If you have a section of your lease which you believe you cannot work to its best advantage, it may be of greater value to a neighbour.

It is possible to secure the Board’s agreement to sell a portion of the pastoral lease on the basis of amalgamation with a neighbour’s lease. In some cases, it may be suitable to consider either a part or equal value exchange.

How to obtain approval

In all cases, the first step is to obtain the written agreement of all your participating neighbours and have them also sign a plan clearly showing the boundary amendment. A good tool to assist in this is your pastoral improvement plan. A copy can be obtained from the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) office at South Perth on (08) 9368 3732.

Then, you need to make a written application to the Chairman of the Pastoral Lands Board. If a large area is proposed for sale, the matter will be referred to DAFWA in the first instance, in order that it can consider whether the carrying capacity of your lease is not being reduced to a point where it may affect ongoing economic viability.

Once all relevant information has been assembled, your application will be referred to the Board for a decision.

If approved, survey instructions will be issued to Landgate (formerly the Department of Land Information) for preparation of a new Deposited Plan. This is the most time-consuming part of the exercise and it may take several months before the plan is in order for dealing.

When the plan is available, each participant will be asked to forward sufficient funds to cover the statutory fees.

Currently, the fees are a $89 document preparation fee and a Landgate lodgement fee of $82. If a sale of land or a cross-transfer is proposed, you will be asked to employ your own conveyancer to prepare the transfer documents.

Native Title Act

Another issue that must be taken into consideration when amalgamating large areas from one lease to another is the provisions of the Native Title Act 1993(NTA).

If it is decided that the NTA applies to your proposal, then the term of your existing lease may not be greater than the term of the amalgamated lease, eg if your lease term is 45 years and the amalgamated part lease term is 35 years, the term of your lease will be reduced to 35 years. If the term of the amalgamated lease is longer, there is no change.

Applications for boundary adjustments should be posted to: The Chairman, Pastoral Lands Board, PO Box 1575, Midland 6936. If you are able to scan your plan, then the application can be sent by email.

For further information, please contact the Executive Officer, Ross McGuigan on (08) 9347 5122 or email: plb@dpi.wa.gov.au

Changing your pastoral lease boundaries

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Have you checked out the Pastoral Lands website yet? Just go to the homepage: www.dpi.wa.gov.au/pastoral and have a look at two of the most popular sections: ‘Information and Publications’ and ‘Useful Links’.

At the ‘Information and Publications’ section you can get detailed information on stock management and animal health issues, weed and pest information, environmental issues and diversification, as well as management of your pastoral business. Here, you can also access any Acts relevant to you such as the LandAdministration Act 1997 or the DividingFences Act 1961.

The ‘Useful Links’ section leads you to an amazing array of sites relevant to the pastoral industry.

You can:

• get the latest weather warnings;

• find out if it rained on your station 10 minutes ago;

• catch up on local news;

• access the latest rangelands research;

• get the latest livestock industry information;

• find out about any grants for which you may be eligible;

Truckloads of industry information on the Pastoral Lands website

A reminder that two copies of blank Annual Return of Livestock and Improvements are sent out for each pastoral station.

While it is recognised that some lessees may operate two stations as one, a separate Annual Return must be submitted for each station, where two or more stations are managed together.

Where apportioning stock numbers for each station is difficult, you are required to make a careful estimate as to the stock numbers on each station as at 30 June.

Separate Annual Returns assist the Board to utilise the statistical information to determine industry trends. This allows the development of a picture of the grazing and infrastructure history of each station, which is important, particularly if one is later sold.

In short, Annual Returns amalgamating stock numbers for more that one station will not be accepted.

Separate Annual Returns

• calculate your homestead water use; and even

• find information on recruiting staff for your station.

The site is updated frequently, so be sure to bookmark it and make sure you visit it regularly.

Please feel free to contact Brian Lloyd at the Pastoral Land Business Unit on (08) 9347 5121 with any comments.

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Pastoral Management News

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Detective Sergeant David Byrne, Officer in Charge, Police Stock Squad.

The Police Stock Squad has been involved in some incidents over the past year that indicate there has been some confusion during the introduction and implementation of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).

Questions have been raised about the need to also brand and or earmark cattle. Pastoralists sometimes ask “Why mark cattle when the NLIS tag proves ownership?”

The reason is that the NLIS tag provides lifetime traceability in the form of product quality assurance and disease control for livestock from the property of birth to its final destination, ‘the dinner plate’.

The NLIS tag is not recognised under the provisions of the Stock (Identification and Movement) Act 1970 (the Act) as identification when it comes to proving ownership of an animal.

Section 27 of the Act states: “The fact that any head of stock is branded with any registered brand shall be prima-facieevidence that such head of stock belongs to the owner of the brand or to the waybill on which the registered brand is printed.”

Saleyard incident

During a recent investigation relating to four allegedly stolen cattle placed for sale at the Midland Saleyards, it was identified that these cattle were fitted with orange post breeder tags belonging to the vendor.

The complainant in the matter (a neighbour of the vendor) produced National Vendor Declaration waybills and sales documents showing the date of purchase and detailing the properties of birth for these cattle to support his allegation.

The white breeder NLIS tags previously fitted to these cattle had been removed and replaced with the orange post breeder tags of the vendor, rendering the NLIS database unusable in this matter.

Inspection of the earmarks on the four cattle supported the complainant’s claim as to their origin and after extensive inquiries eliminated purchase by the vendor, the animals were returned to the complainant.

Had these animals not been earmarked or branded ‘correctly’, it would not have been possible to substantiate ownership, as the white breeder NLIS tags had been removed and orange post breeder NLIS tags fitted, thus supporting the vendor’s claim of ownership.

Correctly applying an earmark or brand is probably the most important part of husbandry involved in raising livestock.

Section 36B of the Act states: “If a brand does not appear on prescribed stock on the place on the animal prescribed as the place where the brand is to appear, the animal is to be regarded as not having been branded.”

Action will be taken

In the past, the Police Stock Squad has taken a stance of tolerance and education to anyone within the industry who has failed to comply with the requirements of the Act.

This stance has been revised and now any blatant breaches of the Act’s requirements will result in prosecution.

These requirements cover all parties involved in livestock industry with growers, transporters, vendors, agents, and auctioneers risking prosecution should they blatantly flout the law.

Remember that the livestock industry is your industry and the WA Police Stock Squad is there to provide assistance in the protection of your industry.

Correct identification of stock

Paul Wynne-Houchin, Department of Agriculture and Food, Geraldton

The safe and efficient transportation of livestock within and beyond Western Australia is vital to the wellbeing of the animals involved and the profitability of the industry.

Before livestock are loaded for travel, it is essential to assess their condition and health status and ask the question: “Are they fit to load?”

Codes of Practice form part of the Animal Welfare Act 2002 and AnimalWelfare (General) Regulations 2003 and provide guidelines for the safe, ethical and profitable transport of livestock. Failure to comply with these codes carries the risk of prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act 2002.

The following guidelines are important:

1. If the animal is lame and cannot bear weight on one or more legs, do not load.

2. If there is any sign of illness or injury, which may cause further pain or suffering during transport, do not load.

Transport of livestock3. If there is any sign of weakness where an

animal is unable to keep up with the mob before or during yarding, do not load.

4. Blind animals must not be transported. Any animal which becomes disoriented due to failed eyesight is at very high risk of injury during yarding, transport and lairage. No level of blindness will be accepted in animals due to be shipped as live export animals.

5. Any female livestock in the latter stages of pregnancy should not be transported.

- Cattle: pregnancy of eight months or more.

- Sheep: pregnancy of four months or more.

If in doubt, leave it out!

You can obtain a copy of the booklet Is it Fit to Load? from your local Department of Agriculture and Food office.

Please take every opportunity to correctly identify all your property, report any loss of livestock or property through theft, and embrace the principals of Rural Watch whereby you report any suspicious activity or incidents in your area.

Remember: contact your local Police Station, the Stock Squad or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 with any information regarding livestock theft or any other criminal activity.

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Did you know?The Police Stock Squad has moved. The new telephone number is

(08) 9370 9100

Pastoral Management News

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Selecting and preparing cattle for live export

Peter Smith, Department of Agriculture and Food, Karratha and Richard Norris, Department of Agriculture and Food, Perth

Managers producing cattle for live export should be aware that there are strict specifications for the types of cattle that can be exported live from Australia.

The Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock describe the requirements for selecting and preparing livestock before export and their management during the journey.

Horned cattle

Horned cattle are an on-going problem for livestock exporters. Polled cattle are preferred, but if horned cattle are presented for export, the horns must be only 12cm or less in length and blunt. If tipped or dehorned, the wounds must be healed.

Among the rejection criteria for cattle are:

• Untipped sharp horns;

• Horns longer than 12cm; and

• Bleeding horn stumps.

Bluetongue is an internationally important and potentially serious livestock disease caused by a virus spread by different species of a small biting midge.There are different strains of the bluetongue virus, some which can cause serious disease and deaths in sheep, and sometimes affect goats. While cattle do not get the disease they can be involved in the spread of the virus.

The bluetongue virus is found only in areas where the midge (Culicoides) lives and strains have been present in northern Australia for over 20 years.

To date there has been no evidence of bluetongue infection or disease in sheep in Western Australia, or elsewhere in Australia in traditional sheep-raising areas.

However, because of the importance of maintaining our livestock export markets,

the Department of Agriculture and Food carries out surveillance for bluetongue under World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines, which aim to minimise the risk of spreading diseases via export of animals.

Eradication of the Culicoides midge is not feasible.

Monitoring Bluetongue

Australia’s National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) was established to coordinate surveillance for bluetongue under the OIE Code.

The map shows the current location of the bluetongue zones in Australia. A “zone of possible transmission” (infected zone) extends 50km from an infected site and is surrounded by a “surveillance zone” (buffer zone) extending a further 50km – the remainder is the “free zone”.

For exporting to bluetongue sensitive countries, the infected and surveillance zones are treated as one “bluetongue zone”.

Bluetongue in pastoral areas

17

Current dry conditions in some regions of the State are causing concerns about preserving both stock and pasture condition.One option may be agistment of stock on those pastoral leases that have experienced more favourable seasonal conditions over recent years and in general have good condition pastures.

When considering approaches for agistment, you need to be aware that you need prior written permission from the Pastoral Land Board.

Under the Land Administration Act 1997,the Board is required to ensure that pastoral leases are managed on an ecologically sustainable basis, so it needs to assess the effect of agistment proposals on the condition of the pastoral lease to be used.

Obtaining permission is not difficult. All that is required is a letter to the Board providing particular details of the agistment proposal, including:

• type of stock to be agisted;

• number of stock involved;

• duration of the agistment proposal;

• statement on the current range condition and the numbers of your own stock;

• whether the stock will be run together or kept separate;

• where on the lease agisted stock will be located (whole of lease or individual paddocks);

• who will manage the stock; and

• any other relevant management comments.

Once the proposal is received, an assessment will be made using office records wherever possible to ensure the shortest possible approval timeframe.

Applications for periods of more than one season or large numbers of stock will be referred to the Department of Agriculture and Food for comment in the first instance.

Permission to allow agistment may be conditional and it is the pastoral lessee’s responsibility to monitor the impact of additional grazing on the rangeland to ensure land degradation does not occur. You must also advise of any subsequent changes to the initial details of the agistment supplied to the Board.

Address applications to The Chairman, Pastoral Lands Board. You can post them to PO Box 1575, Midland, 6936, email plb@dpi.wa.gov.au or fax them to (08) 9347 5009.

For initial enquiries ring (08) 9347 5126 or email the Board’s Executive Officer at plb@dpi.wa.gov.au

Agisting stock on pastoral leases

Five years ago, in North Queensland, only cattle without horns (polled or dehorned) were purchased for live export. It was not a case of discounts – it was a case of no sale.

Pastoralists with a history of presenting acceptable cattle are likely to continue to enjoy the best prices and become the ‘preferred suppliers’ for exporters.

When purchasing breeding stock, pastoralists should consider selecting polled animals to avoid the issue of dehorning.

Heavyweight cattle

Cattle must have an individual liveweight of more than 200 kg and less than 650 kg, unless exporters have prior written approval for cattle outside this weight range from the relevant Australian Government agency.

Given the value of the live export market to the northern cattle industry, it is important that these issues are addressed.

If pastoralists want the maximum return for their export cattle, it is in their interest to present cattle that meet the export standards as well as the exporter’s requirements. Failure to do this can result in cattle not being accepted or seriously discounted prices on the mob.

You will find the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock on the website: www.affa.gov.au/livestockexportstandards

Pastoral Management News

18

Ian Watson, Research Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food, Northam.

Much of the rangelands are degraded from their original state and many people assume they are continuing to degrade – but does the degradation continue?

We have a good idea of the extent of degradation; rangeland surveys (seePastoral Lines, December 2005, pp 18-19) suggested that, at the time of survey, only 46 per cent was in good condition, with the remainder in fair (30%) or poor (24%) condition. The more difficult question is whether the rangelands are continuing to degrade.

Anecdotally, most pastoralists will say that things have improved on their lease over the last few decades. However, this subjective view needs to be supplemented with good quality information collected in a systematic way.

We will never know conclusively whether the rangelands are improving or not. The area is just too big and the resources too

small to assess them all. Moreover, there is no such thing as a “range condition meter”; we have to make judgements about change based on observation and experience.

However, there are activities in place which provide evidence of change.

Evidence of change

At least every six years each station is subject to a Range Condition Assessment (seePastoral Lines, December 2005, pp 25-26).

These inspections assess the land in a similar way to the Range Survey Team, by judging range condition at one kilometre points along a ground traverse.

Another approach is the Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS) which consists of a set of about 1,600 permanent sites. These are reassessed on a three-year schedule in the Kimberley and Pilbara and every five years in the shrublands.

Most of the current WARMS sites were installed between 1994 and 1999 and

almost all have been reassessed at least once.

On each site the change in perennial vegetation is measured, along with aspects of soil surface condition. These measurements are rigorous and are designed to minimise operator error.

The data are stored in a Department of Agriculture and Food WA database and are available for analysis and scrutiny by outside organisations.

Good news

The news from the WARMS results is generally good.

In the Kimberley, perennial grass frequency on the sites has tended to increase from their installation through two successive reassessments up until the last three-year period, when frequencies have stabilised or decreased slightly. In the shrublands, there has been one complete round of reassessment revealing that shrub density and cover have increased on most of the sites.

Rangeland monitoring helps answer the question:Are the pastoral rangelands improving or declining?

1996

1999

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The results from the Pilbara have been mixed. The shrubland sites have tended to improve. Conversely, during the last complete reassessment (2003-05) perennial grass frequency had declined on many sites – but this has also been a very dry period in much of the Pilbara.

Separating the effect of seasonal quality from the effect of pastoral management will always be difficult, but over time we will see whether this is a long-term trend or a short-term fluctuation.

This generally good news provides no reason to be complacent. Almost all areas of the pastoral rangelands have enjoyed a good run of seasons since the early to mid 1990s. The last few years have been very dry in many places, but if the entire last 15 or so years is compared with the historical rainfall record, the overall sequence has been very good.

Ongoing debate

There is also some debate about whether the WARMS sites provide a true reflection of change. The sites are located mostly on the large, relatively intact, flatter parts of the landscape and they may be in “the wrong spot” if all the adverse change is occurring elsewhere, such as in the drainage lines. However, the sites were deliberately located to reflect the majority of the landscape and we believe they

provide a very good indication of change across the rangelands more broadly.

A paper presented at the recent Australian Rangeland Society Conference suggested that the rangelands are suffering from increased run-off and declining condition and that the “good news” may be overstated.

Another paper suggested that the Gascoyne catchment was in worse condition than it was at the time of the rangeland survey in 1970, that the degradation was continuing and was irreversible without specific management interventions.

The debate will continue. Some evidence will suggest improvements, other evidence will suggest decline.

In the meantime, WARMS sites will continue to be reassessed and over time will provide an increasingly important and rigorous measure of the extent to which the rangelands are improving or not.

For further information on WARMS call Ian Watson, Research Officer at the Department of Agriculture and Food in Northam on (08) 9690 2179, or email: iwatson@agric.wa.gov.au

2002 2005

Pastoral Management News

This WARMS site in the East Kimberley shows a pattern commonly seen on Kimberley sites. It was installed in 1996and reassessed in 1999, 2002 and 2005. Perennial grass frequency on the site increased from 1996 to 2002 but then declined by the 2005 reassessment, despite the photo showing more grass biomass.

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Dr. Tony Brandis, Rangeland Conservation Coordinator, Department of Environment and Conservation

The loss of biological diversity (biodiversity) is perhaps the most serious environmental problem in Australia, with the potentially irreversible destruction of ecosystems.

The uncertainty about the significance of what is being lost requires new thinking and approaches to the use of our natural resources.

Increasing community concerns have seen governments developing a range of policies to address the decline in native plant and animal populations and their distribution.

One of our greatest challenges now is to ensure there is no further decline in biodiversity. However, finding ways to protect and manage the rangeland environment will continue to challenge industry, the community and government agencies as they try to balance environmental needs with economic, social and political imperatives.

The need for a conservation reserve system

The establishment of a comprehensive, adequate and representative conservation reserve system to conserve biodiversity is a key goal of Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

Conservation reserves allow for management of land to achieve outcomes that are not achievable under other land management systems.

The historic development of the conservation reserve system in Western Australia, as in many other places, has been the result of ad hoc and unscientific selection of land – often land with little or no worth for agricultural development.

The result is that the existing conservation reserve system is far from being representative of the full range of land surfaces, habitats and species.

Criteria for purchasing pastoral leases

In the past, the purchase of pastoral land for reserves has been opportunistic and voluntary.

Now, as pastoral land becomes available on the market, biodiversity and conservation values are analysed in areas where the reserve system falls short of reservation targets. A set of criteria

has been developed against which each property is evaluated, ensuring that a consistent and repeatable approach is utilised. The criteria include:

• land systems that are not in the reserve system or which are inadequately represented;

• special features, such as riverine land systems or wetlands;

• rare or threatened ecosystems or species;

• biological survey results where they exist;

• heritage or cultural values;

• the results of regional planning processes; and

• rangeland condition.

The inclusion of land systems not already within the reserve system addresses the need for a more comprehensive system, while also improving the representativeness of systems having less than 15 per cent of their area within the reserve system.

Pastoral land containing high diversity that is in relatively good condition, sustains relatively low levels of feral animals and weeds, and which is adequate in size, is prioritised for acquisition and inclusion in the reserve system.

Biodiversity conservation in the rangelands

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number now represented at more than 15 per cent has quadrupled.

About 60 ecosystems considered restricted in distribution (less than 50,000 ha in area) occur within the land acquired, of which 51 are represented at more than 15 per cent of their original area.

Despite these successes, about 44 per cent of ecosystems remain outside the reserve system, many of which are considered to be restricted in distribution. A number of areas containing high biodiversity also occur outside the reserve system.

Productivity of acquired land

Due to the range in pastoral productivity of the rangelands, combined with higher levels of usage on high pastoral value land, most of the land acquired reflects lower pastoral productivity.

High pastoral value land is more desired by the industry, hence purchase opportunities have been more limited. Overall, the acquisitions comprise:

• 1.8 million hectares of low pastoral value land;

Improvements from the Gascoyne-Murchison Strategy

Most recently, there has been considerable improvement in the conservation reserve system in the Gascoyne-Murchison Strategy (GMS) region, where an additional four million hectares of pastoral rangeland containing high conservation values have been acquired.

In the GMS region (comprising 60 million ha), the area of land now managed for the conservation of biodiversity has risen from 1.4 million ha to around 5.2 million ha. However, the increase in area alone should not be seen as the most important outcome of the acquisition program; rather, the level of improvement in the representativeness of the range of ecosystems within the region should be the important measure.

At the beginning of the GMS nearly 93 per cent of ecosystems within the regions were either not represented at all, or were represented at less than 15 per cent of their areal extent in the reserve system.

At the end of the strategy, the number of vegetation types represented within the reserve system had doubled and the

The Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) maintains a ‘Declared Plants’ list for biosecurity protection purposes.

This protects agricultural producers and land managers from incursions of noxious weed species and the inherent problems created by species such as Rubber Vine, Prickly Acacia and Salvinia, to name a few.

The DAFWA website maintains a database which allows you to search for plants that are declared within a particular region of Western Australia. The site provides information on the status of a plant, its declaration and a brief description and control methods.

Several sources have been consulted, including Crop Weeds from Parsons and Cuthbertson, Western Weeds: A guide to the weeds of Western Australia from B.M.J. Hussey et al., the Weeds CRC web site and the Weeds Australia web site.

On the DAFWA website, you can either search for the common or scientific name of a plant or for a specific location from the region list.

Once you have made your selection, hit ‘Enter’. You can also download the Declared Plants list (64kb PDF file).

‘Declared plants’ in Western Australia

• 1.2 million hectares of moderate pastoral value; and

• 167,000 hectares of high pastoral value land.

[Note that not all the GMS region (from which these figures are drawn) has been assessed for potential pastoral production value.]

The development of the conservation reserve system in the rangelands of WA is based on the review of a range of scientific and other information using an evaluation framework.

There has been considerable improvement in the conservation reserve system, although the area of conservation land in many regional areas remains well below recognised international and national targets.

If you would like more information about the establishment and management of the conservation reserve system, please contact Dr. Tony Brandis, Rangeland Conservation Coordinator, Department of Environment and Conservation on (08) 9729 2733.

Both the database and the Declared Plants list can be obtained from www.agric.wa.gov.au (under the “Pests, Weeds + Diseases” section).

Pastoral Management News

22

Rod Williams, General Manager, Rangeland Coordinating Group, Carnarvon

During 2004, the Western Australian Rangelands Natural Resource Management (NRM) region joined 55 other NRM regions across Australia in developing a strategic plan to guide their investment in natural resource management into the future.

The whole of Australia is now covered by NRM plans; a program unparalleled in its coverage anywhere in the world.

The Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group Inc (RCG) is the organisation charged with the responsibility of implementing their plan under the auspices of a Bilateral Agreement between the State and Australian governments. The RCG is chaired by Bill Mitchell.

The Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) will be investing $9.6 million in NRM in the rangelands which stretch from east of Esperance to the Kimberley and cover 90 per cent of the State’s land surface and 75 per cent of its coastline.

Uniquely, the region also encompasses a National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) region – the Ord Irrigation Area, which paves the way for an additional investment of $6.4 million which focuses investment in salinity and water quality issues.

A comprehensive program of community consultation by the Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group identified the key natural resource assets at risk from a range of threats (eg feral animals, rangeland condition, erosion, and nutrient and water quality issues in the Ord). To this end, a second investment plan has recently been presented to the

State Investment Committee. The plan will further build on current projects while allowing for a proactive approach in our deserts as well as with Indigenous engagement, monitoring and evaluation and communication.

Areas of investment

Investment will occur in four program areas including land; water, coastal and marine waters and communication; engagement; and planning. Specific investment areas within the programs include:

• Improving land management;

• Managing Weeds of National Significance;

• Fire management;

• Managing the desert;

• Biodiversity protection;

The rangelands Natural Resource Management plan

23

• Catchment management in the northern and southern rangelands;

• Maintaining water quality in the Ord;

• Improving water use efficiencies;

• Coastal management and protection; and

• Planning, engagement, and monitoring and evaluation.

The Rangelands has been divided into five sub-regions – the Ord, Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne-Murchison, and Goldfields-Nullarbor. This regional structure ensures that important issues within those areas can be given attention at the rangelands scale and considered by the RCG for future investment.

A new management team has been established in Carnarvon during the year and all natural resource management business is now administered from the NRM centre located on the Department of Agriculture and Food’s research station. Rod Williams has been appointed as General Manager and key management positions throughout the rangelands have now been filled.

This management committee, executive and staff are committed to working with all our key stakeholders and the wider community to ensure that key natural resource issues are appropriately considered for investment at the rangelands scale.

Additional funding

In addition to the NHT and NAP funding, there is also additional investment occurring through the National Landcare Program and Envirofund.

Numerous organisations, LCDCs and individuals have been successful in obtaining funding within these programs, which has assisted activities at the property and catchment scales.

The National Landcare Program has funded projects as diverse as training courses for station employees in the Kimberley, TGM yards in the Gascoyne and Pilbara, bore capping in the Pilbara and grazing management options over the southern rangelands.

Now that Western Australia is part of the National Water Initiative there will be greater opportunities for the Ord and Carnarvon irrigation areas, and projects are already being developed in those areas.

The ‘Regional Delivery Model’, as it is known, is a unique framework for the development of appropriate community and government partnerships that allows wide ranging advice into the planning and investment activities in natural resource management.

The current agreement between the State and Australian Government ends in July 2008 and negotiations for a further agreement are about to be commenced.

For further information contact Rod Williams, the General Manager of the Rangelands Coordinating Group on (08) 9956 3328.

Website: www.rangelandswa.info

Pastoral Management News

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Clearing native vegetation on pastoral leases

Clearing of native vegetation generally requires a permit. There are exemptions, for some day-to-day land management activities and for some clearing approved or required under legislation. However, there are some limits and conditions on these exemptions.

The definition of ‘clearing’ includes “grazing, killing or destroying, removing, burning, draining, flooding or the doing of any substantial damage to native vegetation”.

Clearing on pastoral leases

In the case of pastoral leases, there is an exemption to allow grazing stock on a pastoral lease in accordance with:

• the Land Administration Act 1997;

• the terms and conditions of the pastoral lease; and

• any relevant condition or determination by the Pastoral Lands Board (PLB).

Grazing that does not comply with these requirements is not exempt and needs a clearing permit.

Other exemptions under the LandAdministration Act 1997 include clearing to manage and work the land under the lease to its best advantage as a pastoral property. The PLB is the judge of satisfactory compliance with this provision.

An exemption is subject to a requirement to adopt best pastoral and environmental management practices and to maintain indigenous pasture and vegetation. The Pastoral Lands Board has produced a series of Best Management Practice

booklets, which pastoralists need to refer, to ensure their actions are, in fact, considered ‘best management practice’. For further information, refer to the article on Best Management Practices in this edition of Pastoral Lines.

Clearing for pastoral improvements, including constructing or maintaining fences is similarly exempt. Where the PLB believes an improvement is necessary, it may require a pastoral lessee to prepare a development plan with a timetable for achieving the improvement. Compliance with the development plan is a requirement and is therefore also exempt.

25

Native Vegetation Protection officers

in the field Vi Saffer and Sean Walsh

There are some other exemptions for the following:

• Clearing for fire suppression and prevention as required under the BushFires Act 1954 including clearing for firebreaks and around buildings where required under Section 33 of that Act.

• Clearing for fire hazard reduction outside of the prohibited or restricted burning times (this exemption expires on 7 July 2007).

Native vegetation is defined broadly and includes aquatic and terrestrial species endemic to Western Australia. However, harvesting of plantations for commercial purposes and clearing of non-native species (such as Buffel grass) does not require a permit.

To check whether a clearing permit is required, contact your local Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Office.

Clearing and Diversification Permits

Diversification Permits for activities such as pastoral-based tourism or growing non-indigenous pastures are issued by the Pastoral Lands Board. These permits authorise activities other than pastoral activities.

Any clearing for a diversification activity requires a clearing permit from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). If in doubt, call a regional office of DEC and discuss your particular situation.

Pastoral Management News

26

How to apply for a permit

After making initial enquiries, complete your application form (available online) and provide a map of the location you wish to clear, along with any site information you have (photographs, vegetation, soil or land type descriptions etc). Application fees range from $50 to $200.

All applications are advertised to invite public submissions. Assessment includes using data from geographic information systems, environmental specialists and published information.

Sometimes DEC officers will contact you, seeking further information or they may make an appointment to visit the property to assess the site.

Once a decision has been made to grant or refuse a clearing permit, the applicant and/or a third party can appeal the decision or conditions of the permit.

Legislation

The above information is provided for general guidance only. If you intend to undertake activities that may involve clearing, you are advised to consult the actual legislation and seek advice, including legal advice, where necessary.

While the Department of Environment and Conservation has endeavoured to ensure the accuracy of this information, it accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies and persons relying on this information do so at their own risk. Please refer to the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and Environmental Protection (Clearing of Native Vegetation) Regulations 2004, available from the State Law Publisher. Free electronic copies are available from www.slp.wa.gov.au

Clearing Native Vegetation on pastoral leases cont.

Initial inquiry and proposal requiring

clearing of native vegitation

Provide basic information to DEC (application form)

Assessment and possible site visit

You may be asked to provide more information at

this stage

Decision permit granted or refused

Possible Appeal

Additional publications relating to clearing laws, clearing permits, and application forms are available online from http://nvp.environment.wa.gov.au or by telephoning (08) 6364 6500.

Local advice

For local advice on clearing matters please call the Department of Environment and Conservation at

• Geraldton (for the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Murchison regions) on (08) 9964 5978.

• Karratha on (08) 9144 2000.

• Kununurra on (08) 9168 1082.

• Victoria Park (for the Goldfields region) on (08) 6250 8000.

The Assessment Process

27

Quarantine vital in Western Australia’s pastoral areas

If imported, they could have disastrous effects on Australia’s animals and plants – and our economy.

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) has responsibility for keeping pests and diseases out of Australia. The service carries out quarantine inspections on all people, animals and goods arriving in Australia as well as inspecting and certifying agricultural exports.

In recognition of special quarantine risks from our near northern neighbours AQIS, through its Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy, provides early warning surveillance for plant and animal pests and diseases in the Kimberley.

Of particular concern are the following:

• Foot and mouth disease. This is one of the most contagious livestock diseases. A viral disease, it affects cloven-footed animals including cattle, buffalo, camels, sheep, goats, deer and pigs.

Foot and mouth is widespread in parts of Asia, Africa and South America and an uncontrolled outbreak in Australia could lead to closure of key beef, lamb and pork export markets for more than a year. Control costs would be between $8 billion and $12 billion and the consequences of an outbreak would be felt for up to 10 years. Even an isolated outbreak would cost $2-3 billion to eradicate, with economic and social effects in other sectors, including tourism.

Clinical signs include fever, blisters on the tongue, lips and feet, drooling, sore feet and lameness.

• The screw-worm fly. This is an insect parasite of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Related to the blowflies that cause fly-strike in Australian sheep, it prefers hot, humid climates and cannot survive in frost-prone areas.

Screw-worm flies breed in wounds on mammals, laying up to 250 eggs on the edge of an injury, scratch, branding mark or castration wound. Larvae hatch within 24 hours, enter the wound and chew their way into healthy underlying flesh to feed. The wound becomes a mass of maggots, causing extensive tissue damage and leaving the flesh susceptible to secondary fly strike. After about a week, the larvae drop from the wound to pupate in the soil, emerging after another seven days as an adult to mate and repeat the cycle. Untreated animals can die from infection and loss of tissue fluid.

Australia’s approach to quarantine aims to reduce quarantine risks to a very low level, while recognising that they can never be totally eliminated.

Many countries have pests and diseases that can be carried by people, by animals, in animal products such as meat, in plants or in plant products such as timber, or in soil on machinery.

AQIS-NAQS vet John Curran collects blood from a feral

shorthorn bull in the north Kimberley. The animal will be autopsied and samples tested

to eliminate exotic diseases

Pastoral Management News

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Screw-worm flies could cost close to $500 million a year in lost production and control measures. They would have a devastating effect on northern livestock production, particularly cattle and sheep industries. In some herds, 10 to 15 per cent of cattle could be struck at any time; with the greatest loss being through the deaths of new-born calves as a result of navel strike. Eradication would depend on the release of millions of sterile male screw-worm flies to reduce breeding numbers. This could take up to five years, with health implications for remote northern communities.

• Avian influenza (AI). This is a viral disease of wild and domestic bird species, affecting their respiratory, digestive and nervous systems. Occasionally, however, one of the many harmless, existing avian influenza viruses mutate into a form called

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which is highly lethal for birds, particularly domestic chickens

There have been outbreaks in Australia before and on each occasion the virus has been eradicated through destruction of infected birds and strict controls on the movement of poultry, goods and people. A major outbreak would be costly to the poultry industry, consumers and taxpayers. An outbreak in the United States in 1983-84 required an eradication program that cost close to US$65 million. It resulted in the destruction of over 17 million birds and caused retail egg prices to increase by more than 30 per cent.

The virus causing concern to health authorities at the moment is the highly pathogenic strain called H5N1. Widespread in parts of Asia, it has

caused serious problems for poultry industries. It occasionally infects humans and could mutate into a human transmissible form. The Australian Government takes the threat very seriously and has strategies to reduce the risk of avian influenza reaching Australia. AQIS screens all passengers and luggage from risk countries, undertakes surveys of wild birds and works with neighbouring countries to better understand and control the movement of the disease.

You can do your bit

Quarantine is a shared responsibility for all Australians, and pastoralists can help safeguard their land and Australia at large by reporting any unusual weeds, plant or animal diseases to their local AQIS office.

For more information, please visit the AQIS website www.aqis.gov.au

Linda Anderson, Project Officer, Pilbara Mesquite Management Committee Inc., Karratha

Mesquite is an introduced noxious Weed of National Significance (WONS) and is native to the Americas.

It was widely imported into Australia as a shade and fodder plant and ornamental garden feature in the early 1900s. Its highly invasive nature and prolific seeding, in addition to its promotion as a hardy arid fodder plant, meant mesquite rapidly established across pockets of the northern rangeland regions of Australia.

Current estimations put the national infestation covering 800,000 ha, with four core regions.

Mesquite: Waging the war in the PilbaraMesquite is found across the Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley regions in varying density levels and species composition.

The major infestation of mesquite – the single largest Australian population – is centred on Mardie Station in the Pilbara. It covers 150,000 ha of the pastoral lease, of which 45,000 ha is recognised as the core infestation and is characterised by a thorny blanket of hybridised mesquite plants.

Funding of $545,707 from the Natural Heritage Trust program is being utilised to develop cost-effective and successful methods of treating moderate to dense infestations of hybrid mesquite, in addition to researching ecological aspects of the plant and its population structure.

Mesquite identification

Mesquite has several characteristics from which it can be readily identified.

Firstly, it has long tooth-pick like thorns and green fern-like leaves. The plant itself can also take two forms, either a single stemmed tree or shrubby multi-stemmed bush.

Positive identification is made easier during summer months, when plants display brilliant yellow ‘lambs-tail’ flowers. Its pods are also distinctive, being elongated with slight constrictions between seeds. Pods can vary in colour from green when immature to straw, purple, red or even black when matured.

Quarantine vital cont.

Isolated populations of mesquite are commonly found around water sources and where stock often camp. These can spread significantly due to mesquites highly invasive nature.

New infestations of mesquite often occur as a result of seeds being transported in the gut of animals, domestic and feral, and deposited widespread around the landscape. Floodwaters disperse seed to a lesser extent, and along with incorrect vehicle wash-down procedures and inadvertent movement of seeds by tourists, make up the majority of new population establishment.

Why be concerned about mesquite?

In isolation, most plants rarely cause a problem; however, mesquite’s highly invasive nature means that single plants can often transform rapidly into denser infestations.

While isolated mesquite plants and populations may seem relatively harmless, it is worth noting that the Mardie Station infestation began from two trees at the homestead and now covers nearly two-thirds of the pastoral lease.

Mesquite is highly competitive, and will out-compete pastures and trees to an extent where the only plants found will be mesquite. It can cause severe environmental degradation, most notably gully erosion along water courses and sheet erosion within infestations.

Feral animals can shelter in infestations, making control difficult. Stock access to water is blocked by the impenetrable thickets, and mustering costs increase as helicopters need to be relied upon due to inaccessibility of paddocks.

Thorns of mesquite branches can puncture tyres of vehicles and motorbikes – the current record of tyre changes on

one vehicle in one day is seven, all due to mesquite thorns!

Thorns can also penetrate the skin of stock and horses, causing discomfort to animals and severe infections.

If you enjoy the biodiversity of plants and animals on your pastoral station, or the accessible rivers and creeks for recreation, or the productivity of your cattle or sheep, then be on the lookout for mesquite.

Report possible sightings of mesquite to your local Department of Agriculture and Food, or to the Pilbara Mesquite Management Committee on (08) 9144 1844. Further information can be found by simply typing ‘mesquite’ into the search engines of the websites of CSIRO www.csiro.au DAFWA www.agric.wa.gov.au or the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water www.nrm.qld.gov.au

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Pastoral Management News

Mesquite Pods Mesquite Flowers Mesquite Thorns

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Costs of watering stock in the rangelandsFrancis Bright, Regional Economist, Department of Agriculture and Food, Kununurra.

Watering of stock is critical to pastoral businesses throughout the rangelands.

While forage grasses and shrubs may grow on your station, without water they are no use to stock; neither can stock survive without access to reliable and drinkable water.

Stock water workbook

In 2005, the Department of Agriculture and Food released the Pastoral Stock Water Workbook with information about stock water points in the Kimberley and the Pilbara. While relevant to those regions, the information can also be applied in other areas, as many of the issues faced are similar.

The information in the workbook was gathered by interviewing a large number of pastoralists across the region to find out whether there was any magic formula.

There wasn’t.

topography, depth to water, soil types, economics, water point types, telemetry and property development.

There are also Microsoft Excel spreadsheet exercises to help pastoralists develop their own cost information on providing stock water.

The workbook can assist you to make informed decisions, but there is no “magic one size fits all” solution, as every business is different in its resources, management, and future directions.

The workbooks are free to pastoralists and available from the Department of Agriculture and Food’s District Offices at Derby on (08) 9191 0333and Karratha on (08) 9144 2065.

Costs high

What became apparent is that the cost of providing stock water can be a lot more than most people would expect; with the main costs of a bore run being the labour to drive the vehicle and the fuel to get around the property.

The table below shows the annual costs of a bore run, based on labour of $35,000 and 156 trips per year. It shows how much a business can spend on just maintaining water flows for stock each year.

The workbook covers issues to be considered when investing in new stock watering points. These include

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) reminds readers that the AnimalWelfare Act 2002 requiresthe person in charge of an animal to “provide proper and sufficient water” to the animal.

Note that this means every animal in a person’s care.

The RSPCA’s Dr Ron Soutar says that an abundant supply of fresh water is essential for maintenance, growth, reproduction and survival of animals in the rangelands.

“Among all the responsibilities of station managers, providing proper and sufficient water for stock is undoubtedly the most important and critical aspect of pastoral lease management,” he says.

Dr Soutar says every pastoralist and station manager needs to consider the following points to ensure that they are providing ‘proper and sufficient water’ for their stock.

Quality of water supply

Water quality for stock is generally determined by an analysis of the amount of total dissolved salts. The more dissolved salts there are, the more brackish is the water.

Obligations for providing water for livestock

Annual costs of bore runsCost per km

km/trip $1.00 $1.50 $2.00 $2.50 $3.00

200 $66,200 $81,800 $97,400 $113,000 $128,600

250 $74,000 $93,500 $113,000 $132,500 $152,000

300 $81,800 $105,200 $128,600 $152,000 $175,400

350 $89,600 $116,900 $144,200 $171,500 $198,800

400 $97,400 $128,600 $159,800 $191,000 $222,200

450 $105,200 $140,300 $175,400 $210,500 $245,600

500 $113,000 $152,000 $191,000 $230,000 $269,000

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It is a straightforward task to arrange to send a sample of stock water to the local Department of Agriculture and Food for analysis and advice on its suitability for livestock.

Alternatively, there are relatively inexpensive hand-held meters that give a reasonably accurate indication of salinity, provided they are calibrated regularly.

Quantity of water supply

Livestock water requirements depend upon many factors. The important ones to take into account are:

• Peak daily ambient temperatures

• Seasonal moisture content of available feed

• Salinity levels in the water supply and available forage

• Breed, age and sex of the animal

• Reproductive and lactation status

• Distance between water supply and good grazing areas

• Flow rate of the water supply between tank and trough

• Number of stock dependent on the supply

• Competition between stock and feral and native animals.

You may need to seek advice on these variables from animal management professionals, staff at the Department of Agriculture and Food or livestock industry consultants.

Reliability of water supply

The reliability of a water source is of paramount importance. Stock require access to water on an ‘on-demand’ basis, and a failure of the supply at any time is a critical event. It can cause serious animal welfare outcomes and loss of production by thirst, failure to feed, failure of lactation and mismothering, damage to water infrastructure by thirsty animals and, ultimately, death of animals.

In addition, animals staying at unreliable waters will cause severe degradation of the nearby land.

Storage of water

Storage of water is managed by natural reservoirs and the establishment of dams, tanks and troughs, and is essential to ensure a continuity of supply when stock come in for a drink.

Adequate storage will prevent water shortage in times of wind drought, failure of seasonal rains and normal seasonal variation of rainfall.

Mechanical breakdowns are commonplace and a good manager will become aware of these on regular millruns and make appropriate repairs well before stock begin to show signs of water deprivation.

The actual storage must be protected from physical damage and contamination to prevent failure when an emergency

arises. For example, the convenience of lightweight ‘poly’ storage tanks can be taken for granted as they are tough and durable, and they are secure when full of water.

It is possible for an incident to occur if a pump or mill fails and the tank runs dry – a willy-willy or storm may blow the tank over if it is anchored insecurely, ripping out pipes and joiners and fracturing the tank with disastrous consequences for thirsty stock. Regular mill runs to check on the infrastructure are an essential part of station management.

In some circumstances, animals may become bogged in dams and/or fall down wells and die, causing a total loss of the stored water by poisoning. It is essential that entrapment of animals in wells, dams or soaks is prevented either by ensuring safe access or by fencing or otherwise blocking off unsafe areas.

These scenarios are significant animal welfare concerns and are readily preventable by good planning and regular maintenance.

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Location of water supply

On the rangeland, natural waters often allow grazing in their vicinity. Artificial waters are created to enable grazing across the terrain, and as an aid to management of the rangelands with regard to conservation of the landforms. It is normal to provide a reliable water supply for cattle to cater for grazing within a five kilometre radius.

Emergency supplies

If a water supply fails due to breakdown, weather or season, then livestock will suffer and businesses may fail. Water may have to be trucked in by tanker, emergency pumps brought in, stock moved to another area or turned off for agistment or sale. The provision of emergency supplies will have to be carried out immediately to prevent stock suffering.

In a worst-case scenario, animals may have to be destroyed if they are unfit for transport due to water deprivation or starvation.

Mustering and yarding of stock.

Provision of water for stock is a critical aspect of mustering for many reasons. Some of the stock that are mustered are likely to be aged, carrying injuries, pregnant or with calves or lambs at foot, or stressed and fatigued from the roundup.

It may be that water has been turned off temporarily to facilitate stock gathering at water points, or stock may have been held in temporary yards without adequate watering. Best management practice will ensure that proper and sufficient water is provided at strategic points, and that animals are rested and watered to ensure that their welfare is not compromised.

If any animal is unable to keep up with the mob during the muster, it must be destroyed humanely and not left behind to suffer and/or die.

Obligations for providing water for livestock cont.

When yarded, there should be adequate drafting facilities to separate the mob into lines, and appropriate feed and water provided to each group.

Animal Welfare Act 2002

Failure to provide ‘proper and sufficient water’ may result in a prosecution for a breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. The penalty for a breach of the Act by an individual is a minimum fine of $2,000 and a maximum of $50,000 and five years imprisonment. For a corporate body, the fines are five times that for an individual.

For any further advice on animal welfare matters please contact RSPCA WA (Inc) at mail@rspcawa.asn.au or call (08) 9209 9300.

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Jim Addison, Department of Agriculture and Food, Kalgoorlie.

Many pastoral leases have accelerated soil erosion associated with a water point as a result of some historical infrastructure development.

This erosion, in more severe form, is difficult to rectify even if the water point is closed, as soil erosion once started may ‘get a life of its own’.

The appropriate time to address potential erosion issues is during the water point development planning phase.

Following are some points to consider before embarking on a water point development project. Remember, prevention is better (and cheaper) than cure.

Water point position in the landscape

Wherever possible, water troughs should be located on soil types not prone to erosion. This may require water to be reticulated a short distance from source to supply point. Concentration of upslope overland flow by converging stock pads may both initiate erosion and possibly threaten the security of the infrastructure.

Vegetation maintenance

Wherever possible, water points should be located in pasture types not preferred by grazing animals. This reduces the risk of initiating soil erosion through vegetation removal.

Remember too that although water is the cause of much erosion, wind erosion may

be a factor in some landscapes. Retention of a vegetative ‘roughness’ element minimises this wind erosion risk.

An appropriate stocking rate should be used per water point or per unit area in any catchment associated with the water point, to maintain vegetative cover. Bores and wells are often located adjacent to water courses or flow lines.

The removal of protective vegetation from both the water point location and in the associated catchment is a common cause of water point soil erosion. Very simply, vegetation removal at the water point removes soil protection.

Any removal of vegetation in the catchment increases rainfall run-off, shortens run-off time-to-concentration at a particular point and raises peak watercourse flows.

Conservative catchment stocking rates in times of reduced forage availability will minimise much of the erosion risk.

Erosion hazards peculiar to dams

When planning water points, it is critical to remember that if doubling the speed of water flow, the erosive power is squared. For example, doubling a flow speed from one kilometre per hour to two kilometres per hour increases the erosive power by a factor of four.

Incised watercourses should be avoided when positioning dam-sites, as these sites have already demonstrated a tendency to erode. The preferred option is to select a site higher in the catchment and utilise

lateral water collecting drains to increase catchment size where required.

Dam inlets that do not have appropriate pipe installation to convey water into the storage often initiate gully formation in “fragile” soil types. These gullies may, over time, extend well back into the catchment.

Such erosion affects the pastoral operation, as it both reduces the effectiveness of the dam by siltation (and thus reduces dam capacity), as well as making the catchment’s water collection and the consequent movement of the water into the dam less efficient.

‘Matching’ annual catchment production to annual recharge requirements will minimise by-wash flows. By-wash flows characteristically have increased erosive energy as a result of flow concentration and increased slope.

A reduction in flow concentration by constructing a by-wash (overflow) equally at the end of both wing-banks will reduce erosion risk. Rocky outcrops may be identified as suitable locations for by-wash discharges. Fencing of the by-wash areas may be necessary to protect stabilising vegetation from grazing animals.

Geological ‘natural’ erosion is an ongoing but very slow process that rarely creates problems on pastoral leases. However, accelerated erosion resulting from poor grazing or earthmoving practices, reduces the base resource asset value and productive capacity, and may threaten the security of pastoral infrastructure.

Given the time, money and effort in establishing pastoral infrastructure, it makes good sense to protect it with good planning.

Soil erosion at stock water points

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The project began in 1997 as a joint venture between the Department of Water (then Waters and Rivers Commission), the Federal Government and local pastoralists as part of the Gascoyne Murchison Strategy.

The long-term aim of the strategy was to develop better land and water management through rehabilitation and reticulation of flowing bores in the Carnarvon Artesian Basin (CAB). The objectives were to:

1. Reduce the number of uncontrolled bore drains.

2. Increase pressure in the artesian basin.

3. Reduce water wastage.

4. Improve grazing management.

5. Improve weed and feral animal control.

The Carnarvon Artesian Basin falls largely within the Gascoyne Groundwater Area and extends north to the mouth of the Fortescue River in the Pilbara Groundwater Area.

Oil exploration projects between the early 1900s and 1980s resulted in approximately 160 bores being drilled in the basin, primarily with cabled, tool-operated drilling rigs. Unfortunately, the steel bore casings used could not cope with combination of drilling techniques or the corrosive effects of the artesian bore water.

The casings began to deteriorate badly, leaving some bores corroded and off-vertical. Added to this, a lack of mud pumps meant further complications that allowed corrosion to take hold in the casings and caused some pumps to cease operating effectively.

Originally, these bores were used to feed open bore drains that provide water for stock on pastoral stations. The groundwater from the CAB is vital as it is the only reliable water source available to many pastoralists.

Improved water management

The first stage of the project saw 57 bores capped and replaced with 15 controlled bores. The result was eight GL of water saved at the surface and up to 35 GL saved sub-surface. (1 gigalitre (GL) = 1000 megalitres = 1 million kilolitres = 1 billion litres).

Carnarvon Artesian Basin rehabilitation

projectThe second stage of the Carnarvon Artesian Basin

Rehabilitation Project began recently to decommission the remaining 28 free-flowing bores within the basin

that are currently running to waste.

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A controlled water supply has also allowed the development of innovative pastoral management systems. The use of controlled bores has improved water use management in horticulture, aquaculture, the mining industry and other activities.

The first stage of the project resulted in an increase in the pressure within the basin of between 20-40 kilopascals or approximately two to four metres of head increase.

The second phase involves decommissioning 28 bores and drilling up to ten new bores to replace them. These new bores will have fully controllable head works from which water will be reticulated to suitable watering points.

Flow rates have defined the discharge of water at the surface as being 4.46 GL with the possibility of substantially more water being saved sub-surface from decommissioning the deteriorated bores. The saving is possible by preventing water leaking into other underground formations from bore casings which are in poor condition.

The Department of Water, in consultation with water users from industry, business and the local community, is also developing a Groundwater Management Plan for the area’s artesian water resource. The plan is expected to be out for public comment before the end of 2006.

For further information on the Carnarvon Artesian Basin Rehabilitation Project, please contact Brad Cox at the Department of Water, Carnarvon Office on (08) 9941 6100.

An uncapped bore in the Carnarvon

Artesian Basin

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The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Alannah MacTiernan recently commissioned a Review into Industry Training for Aboriginal Pastoralists.The purpose of the review is to identify the issues affecting the success of Aboriginal pastoralism in Western Australia, and to develop strategies that will assist Aboriginal pastoralists in improving skills in the management of pastoral stations.

The review will evaluate the effectiveness of existing training programs for Aboriginal pastoralists, and recommend to Government an integrated approach that will assist young Aboriginal people into the pastoral industry. The review will report its findings to the Minister by 30 September 2007.

Aboriginal-held pastoral leases account for 12 per cent (61) of the 525 pastoral leases within the pastoral industry in Western Australia. Many of these leases have significant performance issues and challenges on a range of indicators. For instance, Department of Agriculture and Food statistics indicate that over the last five years Aboriginal-held pastoral leases have run at an average of 34.1 per cent of their potential carrying capacity, compared to 71.9 per cent for other leases.

A report recently published by Meat & Livestock Australia found that low stock numbers, governance problems, erratic cash flow and inconsistent management led to most Indigenous pastoral enterprises in the Kimberley consistently registering trading losses.

In addition, it would appear that a number of Aboriginal held pastoral leases, particularly in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, are not being managed as commercial pastoral enterprises. Some land under pastoral lease is being utilised simply in support of Aboriginal communities, and in some cases, the communities have populations and infrastructure comparable to small towns.

Employment

A separate, but potentially related issue, is the reduced number of Aboriginal people working in the pastoral industry. During previous generations, pastoralism was a significant – and in many areas the dominant – source of employment for Aboriginal people in the rangelands. The pastoral industry provided opportunities for Aboriginal people to work in a range of capacities. However, younger Aboriginal people in pastoral areas appear no longer to be attracted to working in the pastoral industry.

A number of initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Aboriginal pastoral industry already exist. For example, accredited training courses in beef production can be undertaken in a number of locations, Indigenous management support services are available in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Southern Agricultural regions, and governance training is becoming more widely available.

The current review will have the opportunity to assess the impact of these programs and to see what needs to be done to secure any necessary improvements at industry-wide level.

Have your say

The review is interested in hearing comments regarding the issues that affect the success of Aboriginal pastoralism in Western Australia from all

interested parties, especially Aboriginal pastoralists, other pastoralists, native title representative bodies and other individuals and organisations with an interest in Aboriginal pastoralism.

The closing date for submissions to the review is 1 March 2007. Interested parties can participate in the review in a number of ways:

• by providing a submission to the Review Panel (via Mr Karel Eringa), either verbally, by phone, email, fax or post to the addresses below. Written submissions should be marked to the attention of Karel Eringa, or

• by joining the online discussion forum at www.dpi.wa.gov.au/ritap

Finally, the review will be seeking the opinions of interested parties through consultations in all pastoral areas of the State, and is considering the merit of conducting information meetings in a number of pastoral regions.

If you would like to participate if such meetings are held, or have any comments or questions about the Review, please contact Hon Tom Stephens, the Chairman of the Review on (08) 9216 8321, fax (08) 9216 8747 or email: ritap@dpi.wa.gov.au

For further information on the review, including Terms of Reference and membership of the Review Panel, please visit the Review website atwww.dpi.wa.gov.au/ritap

Have Your SayOn the review into industry training for Aboriginal pastoralists.Go to www.dpi.wa.gov.au/ritap or call (08) 9216 8321

Review into industry training for Aboriginal pastoralists

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The Gascoyne Muster : The Next Generation forum was held in Carnarvon on 15 September 2006.The day, convened by Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan focused on the future of the State’s pastoral industry and provided an opportunity for people to have a say about the future directions of the industry, as well as hear about emerging trends.

All stakeholders in the pastoral industry, including pastoral lessees, managers, station workers, agribusiness, government and non-government representatives were invited, with more than 160 people from across Western Australia turning out for the event.

The Muster, the third since its inception in 2002, focused on the viability of staying on the land for the next generation of pastoralists.

The day was packed with excellent presentations including ones on attracting and retaining young people in the pastoral industry, succession planning and climate change, along with lively discussions on the future of this industry to 2030.

Participants had direct access to the Minister as well as members of the Pastoral Lands Board and Pastoral Land Business Unit.

Sandra Van Vreeswyk, General Manager, Pastoral Land Business Unit, said that the Muster was invaluable in providing an insight into the pastoral industry.

“The Muster gave pastoralists the opportunity to comment on current initiatives and also to share with the Minister and industry what they would like to happen in the future,” Sandra said.

“One such initiative which stems from the previous Musters is the establishment of a Rangelands Council.

The 2006 Gascoyne Muster: The Next Generation

“The Rangelands Council will be the new peak body that coordinates the sustainable use and management of the rangelands, which make up 87 per cent of the state’s land mass.

“In addition to its coordinating function, the Council will provide whole-of-Government policy advice on land use management for the rangelands.

“The Council will deal with issues related to Aboriginal issues, conservation, mining and tourism uses of the rangelands,” Sandra said.

Issues raised from previous Musters including the provision of better land tenure and new issues, including the effects of global warming and climate change were also discussed.

The issues raised by pastoralists will help the State Government to better legislate to meet the needs of the pastoral industry.

Features

Features

The 2005-06 financial year saw a record 43 pastoral leases transferred.This excludes non arms-length transactions of leases involving actions such as share transfers and trust dissolutions.

Demand for cattle leases remains strong with a limited supply of commercial size leases listed for purchase.

Demand is greatest for leases that have a coastal position, are close to a regional centre, have perceived rainfall reliability, adequate infrastructure or have either river flood-out country and /or significant areas of Buffel grass.

Market values for all leases remain the same as for 2004-05 except for slight increases in values for well set up, well located, high carrying capacity land system leases. The market has shown a preference for leases that are well stocked, well located and well set-up, which demonstrate immediate cash flow.

The pastoral lease market: July 2005 to June 2006

Destocked or significantly destocked leases have proved hard to sell.

A steady market demand exists for smaller grazing lifestyle leases, particularly close to Perth or regional areas. These leases are quite often sold without stock and are utilised as a residence with the lessee working off-station, for example, at nearby mining companies.

Buyers are primarily from within the industry and include northern cattlemen seeking to spread climatic risk, as well as wheatbelt farms seeking additional grazing. There were no overseas purchasers in 2005-06.

With a continuation of low wool prices and a general cost price squeeze there is an ongoing trend for Merino properties to convert to meat breeds such as Damara and Dorper crosses.

The trend continues for buyers to convert from sheep to cattle where the rangeland permits such a change. This is very evident in the eastern Goldfields and Nullarbor where dingoes are a problem for sheep producers.

Reasons for sales are varied and include personal circumstances, such as health and family issues, retirement and the cumulative effect of drought/s and low commodity prices with the resulting impact on viability and equity.

Also during 2005-06, CALM (now the Department of Environment and Conservation) purchased two complete leases as well as several smaller portions of existing leases to consolidate with existing reserves. Finally, there were four leases which were subject to inter-company (mining) transfers.

Area Type Sales

Kimberley Cattle 8

Pilbara Cattle 5

Southern Rangelands Cattle 12

Southern Rangelands Sheep 18

Total 43

Leases listed for sale and not sold as at 30/6/06 (estimated) 18

Sales of Pastoral Leases Western Australia: July 2005 – June 2006

(These figures exclude non arms-length transactions of leases involving share transfers and trust dissolutions etc.)

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Pastoralists and miners:joint managers of landGiven Western Australia’s abundance of mineral resources, it is common for mineral deposits and pastoral leases to overlap.Where they do, pastoralists have the exclusive right to the pastoral use of the land (that is, grazing the native vegetation with authorised stock in a sustainable manner). However, any material at surface and below the surface, for example minerals, belongs to the Crown and is therefore open to mining exploration.

A mining company or individual may prospect on the land by obtaining a Miner’s Right or explore/mine under authority of a granted mining tenement under the Mining Act 1978.

The State Government encourages pastoralists and the mining industry to work collaboratively when their land interests overlap.

Miner’s Right

Mark Miley, Perth Mining Registrar with the Department of Industry and Resources, says a person holding a Miner’s Right has access to Crown land that includes pastoral lease land.

“Pastoralists do not have the right of veto to stop prospectors from coming on the land,” he says.

“However, the prospector has to follow guidelines that ensure the pastoralist is kept informed of what activities are being undertaken and that no damage is done to property or livestock.”

A holder of a Miner’s Right is entitled to:

• Prospect for minerals;

• Conduct geological mapping;

• Conduct tests for minerals;

• Undertake limited sampling using hand-held equipment and to remove samples of up to 20 kilograms;

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• Mark out mining tenements;

• Fossick for rocks, gemstones, etc; and

• Take water and camp for the purposes of prospecting.

If the holder of a Miner’s Right wants to explore an area further and bring in mechanised equipment, they must apply for and be granted a prospecting or exploration licence.

The licence, subject to lodgement of a work program and obtaining environmental approval, will allow the holder to start minor excavation and drilling work.

If this proves successful, the holder may then apply for a mining lease.

Mining Tenement

Under the Mining Act 1978 a person applying for a Mining Tenement must:

• Provide a copy of the mining tenement application to the pastoral lessee within 14 days of the application being lodged;

• Notify the pastoral lessee before going onto their land;

• Not camp within 400 metres of a well, dam or bore;

• Not undertake work within 100 metres of crops, stockyards or any land that is in actual occupation and on which a house or other substantial building is erected, without the lessee’s consent; and

• Ensure the least possible damage to the surface of the land.

Mr Miley says the Mining Act 1978protects pastoralists and their infrastructure.

“The Act specifies the rights of the tenement holder and the Miner’s Right holder, and protects the infrastructure of the pastoralist,” he says.

“Miners cannot undertake activities on areas of the tenement under crop, orchard, vineyard, plantation or stockyard, without the written approval of the occupier.”

Resolving disputes

The Department of Industry and Resources encourages the mining industry and pastoralists to conduct their work with respect and appreciation for their respective operations.

If pastoralists have complaints or concerns that cannot be resolved between the two parties, they can contact one of the department’s liaison officers or their local mining registrar.

The role of the liaison officers, in part, is to promote good working relationships between the mining industry and pastoralists and to facilitate communication and dispute resolution.

There is a liaison officer in Kalgoorlie, covering the Goldfields, Murchison, Mid-West and South-West regions (contact (08) 9021 9437) and another officer in Karratha, covering the Gascoyne, Ashburton, Pilbara and Kimberley regions (contact (08) 9186 8809).

There are mining registrar offices in Perth, Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Leonora, Marble Bar, Meekatharra, Mt Magnet, Norseman and Southern Cross.

The Investigation Services Unit of the Department of Industry and Resources can also help with disputes involving offences against the Mining Act 1978. The unit monitors and enforces compliance with mining legislation and also educates prospectors and landholders about its role and their rights and responsibilities.

The unit’s General Manager, Shayne Sherman, says the unit plans to attend regional meetings of the Pastoral and Graziers’ Association over the coming months to discuss issues that affect pastoralists.

You can contact Shayne on (08) 9222 3565 and the Investigative Services Unit at isu@doir.wa.gov.au

More information

More information on this topic (including the pamphlets Miner’s Rights and Prospecting, Exploration, Mining on Pastoral Leases) is available on the Department of Industry and Resources website at www.doir.wa.gov.au/ mineralsand petroleum/informationpamphlets.

Pastoralists and miners:joint managers of land cont.

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There are 12 pastoral stations on the Heritage Council’s State Register of Heritage Places, which lists over 1,000 heritage places in Western Australia.The list includes buildings, structures, gardens, cemeteries, landscapes and archaeological sites, and recognises a place’s value and importance to WA and helps ensure that is conserved into the future.

The inclusion of a place in the State Register does not mean it can’t be changed. In fact, the Heritage Council supports practical change and new compatible uses.

However, any changes or works that may affect the place must be referred to the Heritage Council for consideration before works take place. It is generally accepted that certain works may need to be undertaken to allow the place to continue to be used.

Sites on pastoral leases

Of the 12 pastoral stations on the State Register, seven contain buildings built before 1900.

There are a variety of heritage places from homesteads and their associated buildings to lighthouses.

A homestead or station can have associated structures such as shearing sheds, mining infrastructure and airstrips. The components of a registered place show the changes made over time and provide visual reminders of the story the places tell. Often heritage places have a multitude of stories to tell which may cover indigenous history; settlement history and sometimes natural values.

One such pastoral station is the Nanutarra Station complex, which was developed from around 1878 as part of the early pastoral development of the Ashburton region and permanently listed in November 2005.

The historical development of Nanutarra demonstrates the characteristic expansion of remote pastoral properties, particularly in the State’s North West, from simple 19th century family homesteads to the large pastoral complexes of the present.

Nanutarra Station complex is a good representative example of a pastoral station complex dating from the late 19th century.

Another place with pastoral associations on the State Register is the Air Beef Abattoir and Aerodrome (ruins) and Glenroy Homestead Group, which had an important role in the development of the beef pastoral industry in the Kimberley and the North West during the 20th century. It changed the way beef was exported from inland areas and successfully provided an important facility for surrounding pastoralists on a seasonal basis from 1949 to 1965, as well as contributing significantly to the quota of Australian meat exported to Britain.

Other examples are the Corunna Downs Station and former wartime airbase, and the Point Cloates Lightstation (ruin). Corunna Downs comprises a group of single-storey ant bed mud, off-form concrete and corrugated iron station buildings. It was part of the development of the pastoral industry in the Pilbara district and demonstrates the evolution of a pastoral settlement since 1891.

The Men’s Quarters at Glenroy Homestead

in the Kimberley.

Heritage areas on pastoral leases

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A major change proposed by the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Bill currently before Parliament will be the replacement of the Agriculture Protection Board (APB) by a Biosecurity Council.

The new Council will be the principal source of advice on biosecurity issues to both the Director General and Minister for Agriculture and Food.

The BAM Bill has been the subject of discussions with key agricultural producer organisations and community groups for quite a few years and this collaborative approach will continue as the necessary regulations are developed.

The new Act will replace 17 existing Acts including the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976, an Act for the control of harmful plants (such as mesquite) and animals (such as wild dogs) and which allows for the rating of land held under pastoral lease.

Some of the operational detail of the Acts to be replaced will be transferred to regulations under the new Act. However, Parliament will continue to maintain an appropriate level of scrutiny and regulations may be disallowed or amended if necessary.

The new Act puts a specific obligation on the Minister for Agriculture and Food to consult with people who might be affected by regulations. Obviously this consultation will include producers as the most important group of affected people.

The new Act will also allow the Minister for Agriculture and Food to appoint other advisory groups and to recognise biosecurity groups such as those established to control declared pests in a specified area. Recognised biosecurity groups will be able to receive money from the Declared Pest Account for this purpose. This will improve upon the existing arrangements with Zone Control Authorities.

There will be provision in the new Act to allow declared pest rates to be paid by mining interests as well as by pastoral lessees.

Interested readers can obtain an electronic version of the Bill from the website of the Parliament of Western Australia at the following address: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/web/newwebparl.nsf/iframewebpages/Bills+-+Current

For further information, please email bamb@agric.wa.gov.au or contact Richard Walker, Policy Officer, Biosecurity, Department of Agriculture and Food on (08) 9368 3830.

Update on the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Bill 2006

Heritage areas on pastoral leases cont.The Point Cloates Lightstation, built in 1910, comprises the sandstone ruins of Point Cloates Lighthouse and Quarters and associated remnants. It is located on Ningaloo pastoral station, which is approximately 100 km south of Exmouth.

The significance of heritage sites

The important thing to remember about places entered in the State Register, whether or not they are on a pastoral lease, is that they are included because they contribute to the story of the development and history of Western Australia.

Each place has a different and unique story to tell which the Heritage Council tries to capture in its research of the place. The people involved, the type of activities and often the locally sourced material used for entry in the Register, for whatever the activity, are usually different for each place.

The development of the pastoral lease system in WA is important in itself to the development of the State and forms part of the rich tapestry of who we are today and what we do.

You are welcome to contact the Heritage Council on freecall 1800 644 177 or

(08) 9221 4177 for a free check to see if your lease is affected by entry in the Register. Another way to do it is to approach Landgate (formerly the Department of Land Information) and, for a fee, a copy of the title of the land can be provided which will show any interest, including heritage, on the title.

If you would like to take advantage of some of the benefits of heritage listing you can nominate a place to the Register. We have a nomination form online at www.heritage.wa.gov.au

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Important changes to the general rating provisions under the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976 will improve the link between the amount of revenue to be collected in each zone and the operational budget for that zone.

The changes, which were first sought by the pastoral industry in 2002, removes the historical requirement that General Rate revenue be raised in the ratio of one-third from the Kimberley and two-thirds from zones south of the Kimberley.

From July 1 2006, each of the five pastoral zones will be able to implement a totally independent rate, while still retaining access to the Government’s (dollar-for-dollar) matching fund contributions.

In April 2006, members of the Agriculture Protection Board (APB) met with representatives of the five pastoral Zone Control Authorities (ZCA) to discuss their respective 2006-07 revenue targets.

All ZCAs elected to increase their 2005-06 revenue base in line with CPI increases (3%), to avoid erosion of their ‘purchasing power’ during 2006-07.

The Pilbara ZCA decided it needed to also increase rate revenue by an extra 15 per cent, over and above the three per cent increase, to offset the progressive removal of historical cross-subsidisation from the other four zones.

The quantum of the General Rate within a given financial year remains linked to the unimproved value of the land held under pastoral lease.

Because of the changes, there may be some administrative delay in issuing rate notices for 2006-07.

For further information, please contact Caroline Horsfield, APB Administrative Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food on (08) 9368 3942.

Important changes to the Agriculture Protection rate

Features

Kindergarten to Year 12

Today’s remote education in the ‘virtual classroom’

Students and teachers of the Flexible Learning In Schools program

The Schools of Isolated and Distance Education (SIDE) are at the forefront of the innovative use of technology for education. Increasingly, the traditional ‘correspondence school’ print-based approach is being replaced by the ‘virtual classroom’.

Collectively, the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education form one of the largest schools in Western Australia, providing schooling to more than 2,000 students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

SIDE consists of seven schools. The SIDE Primary and Secondary Schools are at Leederville in Perth.

The five Schools of the Air (or SOTAs) are regionally based in Carnarvon, Kalgoorlie, Derby, Port Hedland and Meekatharra.

Focus on education: the Next Generation

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History of the School of the Air

The WA Correspondence School was officially established in September 1918 with two teachers. The main purpose of this school was to provide education to the ‘isolated’ and the ‘outback’ students at primary level.

Over time, courses for secondary education were established and extended to include the same curriculum subjects available to city students.

The first official radio SOTA was established at Meekatharra in 1959. The school utilised the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s direct, two-way radio network for up to three hours a day.

Following the success of the initial school at Meekatharra, other schools were established in Derby (1960), Kalgoorlie (1962), Port Hedland (1960) and Carnarvon (1968). The SOTAs cater for primary students from Kindergarten to Year 7.

Traditionally, Western Australian distance education students have been those living on pastoral stations, farms, mining communities and other remote locations. In addition, SIDE also caters for students who are isolated for reasons other than geographical circumstances. These include those who are ill, isolated by social circumstances or travelling in Australia or overseas.

Approximately 800 of SIDE Secondary School’s 1,300 students are enrolled in local schools across the State. Schools access SIDE when they cannot provide a student’s choice of subject. So, regardless of the size or location of the school, students everywhere can study a curriculum program to meet their needs and career aspirations.

Distance education today

SOTA ‘air lessons’ are held daily and each child spends at least 20 minutes a day on-line with their teacher and their peers.

Since 2004, the radio lessons have been replaced by on-line lessons using an interactive whiteboard.

Students are provided with a computer, printer and satellite dish. Fax, email and Internet facilities result in frequent two-way communications between students, home tutors and their teachers. The time required for the distribution of school work, schools’ assessments, as well as the return of marked work, has been greatly reduced through the use of modern technology.

Studying in the distance mode is still challenging for teachers, students, and in the case of home-based students, the Home Tutor. Teachers modify and produce individualised materials to cater for students. They regularly visit homes to advise and assist home tutors, parents and students.

Mini camps and school camps are part of the program in every school, providing the opportunity for social interaction between teachers, students and their peers. The camp program ensures exposure to cultural and arts programs as well as a range of school-based activities such as art, drama, music and team sporting activities.

Two highly innovative programs delivered from the Leederville site are Languages other than English (LOTE) and Flexible Learning in Schools (FLIS).

The LOTE program delivers Italian, Japanese, Indonesian and French to over 2,000 students in Years 3-12 in homes and schools across the State. LOTE programs are delivered through a combination of

‘on-line ‘meetings’, videoconferencing, teleconferencing and interactive television.

FLIS offers enhanced educational opportunities for students in the Pilbara, in partnership with BHP Billiton Iron Ore. Year 11 students are studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics and Introductory Calculus through the FLIS program. Experienced teachers from a variety of WA secondary schools instruct these students in a virtual classroom.

Students benefit from being in a larger group while staying at their school and in their local community. Students also have access to email, chat rooms and texting that provides teachers and students with a powerful and highly flexible learning environment.

There will be some opportunities to extend the program to other schools in 2007.

It is an exciting time to be in distance education for students, teachers and parents.

SIDE and SOTA schools are overcoming the challenges of distance through the use of new technology, innovative teaching practices and tailored curriculum that engages and motivates rural and isolated students.

For further information visit www.side.wa.edu.au or call SIDE on (08) 9242 6300.

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Focus on education

Focus on education

46

Secondary educationPastoral students from Morawa take to the road

Nine students and two staff from the Western Australian College of Agriculture – Morawa took to the road in September this year for their annual Pastoral Industries Tour.This year’s tour concluded with the students taking part in the Gascoyne Muster at Carnarvon for the first time.

Year 12 students from the college have the option of participating in the only Pastoral Industries Studies course to be offered in secondary schools in Western Australia. The college has a long tradition of links to the pastoral industry and has been running the course for over 10 years.

Students study aspects of the pastoral industry, including stock management and grazing, remote power generation, yard and building maintenance and navigational skills.

The course is very popular with Year 12 students and this year 30 per cent of students took part.

Gascoyne and Murchison tour

During their recent tour of the Murchison and Gascoyne regions, students visited Curbur Station, Mt Augustus Station and Bidgemia Station and showed a keen interest in lifestyle aspects of the pastoral industry.

At each station, they were given the opportunity to talk to and question the pastoralists on their management practices and stock choices.

Participating in the Gascoyne Muster was a new aspect of the tour and opened many students’ eyes to issues in the industry. As many are in the position of moving onto family properties, the issues of succession planning and sustainability certainly sparked some interest and debate.

The college also has a strong tradition of students from the Gascoyne and Murchison regions attending as an alternative to city boarding schools. In 2005 and 2006 the college has attracted several students from these areas as well as expanding into the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, with students attending from as far away as Derby and Kununurra.

Many of these students are already enrolled in the Pastoral Industry Studies course for next year and 2007 should see the college graduate another 12 students ready, willing and able to fill positions in the pastoral industry.

There are still some places left for Year 11 in 2007, so if you are interested, please contact the College on (08) 9971 1158 or go to the website: www.morawaag.wa.edu.au

Craig Chadwick, Principal, Western Australia College of Agriculture, Morawa

The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Alannah MacTiernan chats with students from the WA College of Agriculture, Morawa at the Gascoyne Muster in September.

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The cattle are back … and the girls are coming!That’s the latest news from the Christian Brothers Agricultural School at Tardun.

Since it was founded in 1928, the 13,000 hectare school, 140 kilometres east of Geraldton, has served the needs of boys.

For many years, it was home for countless numbers of orphans from England and Europe.

These days, it is where many boys, indigenous and non-indigenous and from all over Western Australia, are given an education. Not for a few years, but for life.

Now, after nearly 80 years serving the needs of boys, the “welcome” sign has gone up for girls.

Why? Simply, because the girls who visit the school on farm tours are in many cases more genuinely interested in the horses, sheep, pigs, machinery and so on than the boys are.

And that trend is likely to continue now that cattle have been re-introduced to Tardun. Cattle were “cleaned out” from the school after years of drought.

Boys, and from next year girls, who are educated at Tardun have little or no trouble getting a job, usually in a trade or working on the land.

Subjects relevant to the industry

Farm Prac is arguably the most popular subject. Much of the emphasis at the secondary school is on farm skills.

Whether a youngster wants to be a pastoralist, a farmer, a horse breaker, a shearer, a welder or whatever, he (and she) are taught the skills at Tardun.

Metalwork and woodwork mould the students into a “one stop shop” when it comes to doing chores and meeting challenges.

Backing that up is the classroom, where English, Maths, Science, Society and

Environment, Computer and many more subjects are taught.

Many of these subjects qualify as vocational education training and gain the student a TAFE Certificate, which can qualify them for apprenticeship training and further education.

The most recent addition in the classrooms are four Smart Boards, interactive whiteboards which many private schools in the city haven’t even got.

Educating the next generation of pastoralists at Tardun

Eddie bin Sudin, a Year 11 student from Geraldton, shows his

shearing skills at Tardun.

Peter Sweeney, Christian Brothers Agricultural School, Tardun

Focus on education

Year 10 students Brian Linke (left), of Mogumber, and James Clifford, of Port Hedland, show their technical skills in the mechanical room at CBAS, Tardun.

Cattle are back at CBAS, Tardun, much to the pleasure of Year 9 students Harrison Paton (left), Tardun, Peter Phillips of Broome and Calan Zat from Geraldton

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“It’s a unique situation here. Questioning teenagers are turned into decision-making young adults.

“Students are reared in a family friendly atmosphere where academic and practical courses intertwine with their spiritual, physical and social needs.

“And the blending and mixing of indigenous and non-indigenous youth is positive.”

For further information about the Christian Brothers Agricultural School at Tardun call Rebecca Lynch on (08) 9961 5212, or visit the website at www.cbas.wa.edu.au

“They make you a state-of-the-art school,” a Perth Principal said in a jealous tone recently.

“I had no idea you could come across modern learning facilities such as those right out here.”

Computers at the school were also updated recently, while major renovations are taking place in the boarding dormitories and games rooms.

Students from station country

Young men (and now women) looking for employment in the pastoral industry are more than qualified for such work.

A number of the 50 students at Tardun come from station country, others live in communities near stations, while others have a burning desire to work there.

And everybody does the practical experience on the farm – working with horses, cattle, sheep and pigs – and in the wheat fields.

The ‘keener’ lads attend rural shows and Field Days and every year students go on either the North-West tour or a ‘look and learn’ mission to the Kimberley.

“Our students are extremely hands-on and get experiences they wouldn’t in most other schools,” Tardun principal Nick Lynch says.

“It sets them up for life. Many boys come from isolated locations, so working and living on stations or big properties wouldn’t worry them.

“They develop strong relationships with their peers and visit each other in holidays and when their schooling is finished.

Educating the next generation of pastoralists at Tardun cont.

Secondary education cont.

Years ago, most formal education was done in a classroom or lecture theatre, and people gained qualifications by completing the requirements for one level before progressing to the next.

This learning pathway is often shown as a linear sequence from a Certificate I, through various levels, up to a Doctorate (see Learning Pathways figure).

The pathway highlights the link between Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education (HEd) and the opportunities for further education that this link presents.

Learning today

Today, you can learn in many ways and there is much more flexibility in where you enter or the route you take to move along the Learning Pathway. For example, through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), you can gain a Certificate or Diploma without actually completing a taught course/program through TAFE or Agricultural College.

This is possible when the training system recognises the skills and knowledge you have gained through work experience and life experience, and credits you with educational qualifications matching those skills.

Short courses may also be considered in RPL, and especially FarmBis, MLAs, EDGEnetwork or Rangelands Australia-developed courses, where the course outcomes have been mapped across the competencies in various rural training packages.

Moving further along the pathway

For mature-aged people who have VET-level awards (either taught or by RPL) who are interested in moving further along the pathway, the step to a Bachelor degree can be a huge practical and psychological barrier – especially if it means leaving home and committing to three to four years study full-time or six to eight years part-time.

However, if you have several years of managerial-level experience, it is now possible to circumvent the Bachelor degree step and use RPL to gain entry to a post-graduate program by coursework (eg a Graduate Certificate).

Such new pathways for entry into post-graduate coursework programs open up opportunities for further education that you may never have thought of or thought were impossible for you.

Furthermore, you can do a postgraduate coursework program from home by distance education. You can also study part-time, which means that you don’t have to ‘give up your day job’ while enjoying a high quality learning experience guided by experienced facilitators and stimulated by interaction with practical people also living and studying in pastoral regions across Australia.

So, living in remote pastoral areas is no longer a barrier to learning for better management decisions, better understanding of the current and emerging issues influencing you and your enterprise, and ensuring a more profitable and sustainable enterprise.

Further education - it isn’t what it used to be!

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Tertiary education

The way West Australians learn through formal education continues to change and living in pastoral areas is no longer the handicap to education it used to be.

Focus on education

Learning Pathways

John A Taylor, Rangelands Australia

Just on two years ago, the first of a series of new rangeland-specific postgraduate courses, available by distance education, was introduced.

These courses were designed to build the knowledge and skills necessary for future success in the rangelands. They were developed with funding provided by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).

Evaluations have shown that the courses are high quality, practical, up-to-date and relevant, and are providing personal growth and professional development for owner-managers.

Importantly, they are leading to high levels of satisfaction in knowledge gained and relevance to people’s workplace/business and their future in the rangelands.

What sets the Rangeland Management postgraduate program apart?

There are a number of factors that make the Rangelands Australia programs/courses special, from the careful homework that was done at the outset to aspects of the courses themselves. These include:

• A program structure aligned to the needs expressed by over 450 stakeholders nationally, which in WA included people who attended focus groups in Fitzroy Crossing, Karratha, Mt Magnet and Perth in 2002;

• Courses developed and reviewed by over 180 experienced managers, scientists, advisors and others to date;

• Current and practical courses that build knowledge, skills and personal qualities for individual and enterprise success;

• Courses built around solving current and emerging rangeland issues, using learning activities and assessment items based on your enterprise or region. There are no examinations;

• Courses that, according to our mature-aged ‘students’, are directly relevant to people’s work and business and their future in the rangelands; and

• Courses that comprise Australia’s only educational program specifically focused on rangeland management.

Who are the students?

Around 60 per cent of Rangeland Management postgraduate students are owners or managers of pastoral enterprises and half entered through Recognition of Prior Learning.

The rest are Landcare or NRM facilitators, training providers and so on. Ages range from 25 to 57 years, with most in their 30s and 40s. They come from WA, Queensland, NT, SA, NSW and Victoria, and just over half are women.

Why are they doing further study?

Students have acknowledged that “On the job training is not enough any more” and have given lots of reasons for deciding to do further study. These include the need to:

“Increase knowledge to successfully cope with the changes around us.”

“Be on the front foot (regarding) greater community and government interest and scrutiny of rangeland businesses.”

“Gain a broader perspective of important issues that will influence our future.”

“Increase our skills and credibility as land managers.”

“Build capacity to represent rangeland interests.”

There have been many catalysts for their decision to undertake further study,

including poor policy and regulatory decisions that strengthened their resolve to be a better advocate for rangeland issues; realisation that they could easily be ‘left behind’ due to their isolated and insulated lifestyle; and awareness that they were often ‘out of their depth’ at some community and industry meetings and had low credibility and influence.

What benefits have they gained?

Our mature-aged students are reporting a wide range of benefits, including:

• New perspectives on current and emerging rangeland issues;

• Better decisions and risk management;

• Greater self-confidence and credibility; and

• Better understanding of other stakeholders and engagement with them.

Looking further ahead, and as they apply the learning from their courses, most also anticipate more profitable rangeland use and reduced variability of profits, improved land condition, and better communication and advocacy of rangeland interests and requirements.

Not sure you could do it?

If the thought of further study is daunting and if you have no recent experience of tertiary education, there are a few things that might increase your confidence and readiness for study by distance.

First is a very useful three-day short course on ‘Getting into Further Study’, developed by Rangelands Australia, which can be run in your region for a group of five to six people.

Second, you won’t be alone, and there will be others among your intake who will be at a similar educational level, whatever that is.

Learning for success in the rangelands: new opportunities for further study from home

Tertiary education

50

And finally, from early 2007 there will be a small, national network of Rangeland Champions to provide out-of-hours advice, support and encouragement for mature-aged, remote learners.

It’s a sure bet that you spend a lot of time teaching your station staff how to muster cattle or maintain waters on your property.

You’ll also be training them how to operate machinery, work safely, maintain equipment and handle livestock.

Your staff have acquired a lot of skills over the years, but they may not have formal recognition of these skills.

It is important not only for them but also for the pastoral industry that their experience is formalised in a recognised qualification.

Now is the time

You have given your staff very practical skills and invested your time and money in passing on what you know.

Now is the time to take the next step and ensure they get recognition for the skills and knowledge they have from working in the pastoral industry.

The Technical and Further Education (TAFE) arm of the Department of Education and Training can formalise the training you provide on your station so that your employees gain a nationally-recognised qualification.

A lecturer will visit your station, help select the training needed and assess your employee. The training can be structured so that it all happens on your property or it can include some off-the-job training.

The training required is selected after discussions between the manager, your employee and TAFE, to fit in with the work being done on the property.

There are also financial incentives available for employers who train staff – up to $5,000, especially if you are employing new staff.

Certificates I, II, III and IV

The system of certificate accreditation has several levels of achievement. As a guide:

• Certificate I is done in ‘Rural Operations’ and may have been completed at Year 10 level of agricultural school. It is a school-based certificate;

• Certificate II is recommended for new employees in the primary industry sector;

• Certificate III is aimed at skilled people who can operate independently; and

• Certificate IV is for leading hands, supervisors, etc.

Each certificate is a ‘stand alone’ one and can be done without having achieved the lower certificate level. The TAFE contacts listed below can further advise you as to what is most suitable for your individual staff members.

Some of your staff may already have a Certificate II in Agriculture obtained at Year 11 or 12 at a State agricultural school like Morawa or a private agricultural school like Tardun. This means

they are now ready to go on and do the Certificate III in Agriculture.

If you are managing a station, TAFE could also help you attain a Certificate IV in Agriculture by selecting and assessing activities in which you are already competent. For example, tasks that you may already do as a manager, such as costing a project, supervising staff, overseeing stock marking, designing stock yards, arranging transport, managing a quality assurance program or maintaining Occupational Health and Safety standards on the station, could be assessed for the Certificate IV.

Importantly, these qualifications can also lead to a diploma or degree qualification, if you want to further your studies.

Further information

If you want further information on formalising your staff ’s knowledge and skills, or your own, into a recognised qualification, contact the following lecturers in your area:

KimberleyJeff Smith Phone (08) 9168 0888PilbaraNeil Waters Phone (08) 9158 5645Gascoyne – MurchisonAlan Haagensen Phone (08) 9956 2825Goldfields – NullarborJohn Bourke Phone (08) 9071 9582

or check out the website: www.tafe.wa.edu.au

So, what’s stopping you now from learning for success in the rangelands?

Enrolments close 30 June for Semester 2, 2007.

For more information on courses including feedback from pastoralists and others, RPL, enrolment, etc, please contact Rangelands Australia by email rangelands@uqg.uq.edu.au or phone (07) 5460 1660 for an information pack or visit the website at www.rangelands-australia.com.au

Certificate level qualifications for station staff

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Focus on education

52

Travelling in Outback Western Australia is a new booklet to help people visiting outback Western Australia.The 24-page glovebox-sized publication will be of great value to pastoralists who have to deal with tourists accessing pastoral leases without permission.

It gives practical advice to tourists on how to prepare for a trip to WA’s vast pastoral regions and informs them of their responsibilities when travelling through pastoral areas.

In the guide, author Pastoral Project Officer Brian Lloyd warns that people need to do their research and prepare well in advance before embarking on their trip to the outback.

“Many travellers, particularly those from the eastern states or overseas, may not appreciate how remote some of our pastoral country is,” Brian says.

“Some people expect to pass by shops, towns and highways and many underestimate the extreme temperatures, harsh terrain and sheer size and remoteness of outback areas.”

Brian says that often, when travellers get into trouble, they call on the nearest pastoralist for help.

He says this may inconvenience pastoralists and take them away from their business. In some cases, tourist’s actions may not only threaten their own safety, but also that of station staff and stock.

“Sadly, some travellers have also perished, simply because they were ill-prepared,” Brian says.

Getting permission in advance

“We also want people to understand that pastoral stations are businesses, often family run, that should be respected as private property.”

The booklet also reminds visitors that access to pastoral leases is a privilege, not a right, and that tourists must seek advance permission from pastoralists.

Travelling in Outback Western Australia is available through tourist centres throughout the pastoral areas. If pastoralists want extra copies of the booklet for their station stay operation, they can contact the Pastoral Land Business Unit on (08) 9347 5126.

Travelling in outback Western Australia

New rainfall information on the webWith some parts of WA facing their driest year on record, while other parts of the State are having one of their wettest years, it is little wonder that many people feel a little confused about what is happening to the climate, and in particular the rainfall.

To try to present as much information as possible about rainfall, the Bureau of Meteorology recently launched its ‘Water and the Land’ page at www.bom.gov.au/watl

This page provides pastoralists with a ‘one stop shop’ for your rainfall information. It has details on current rainfall, rainfall forecasts and maps that show rainfall in your area compared to long-term averages.

Powerful forecast modelling

The forecasts are presented in a graphical format for the whole State, but you can click on the map to ‘drill down’ to your region for more detail.

Neil Bennett,Bureau of Meteorology, Perth

By combining up to eight computer models, the Bureau produces a more accurate forecast than is possible with a single computer model.

Because these forecasts are generated automatically, it is always good practice to check the official worded forecasts from the Bureau. There may be occasions when the official forecast will vary from the computer models.

There is also a forecast that gives you information about the chance of rainfall in

an area expressed as a percentage. For example, if seven out of the eight available models are showing that at least 10mm will fall in an area, then this will be shown as a percentage of 88 per cent (ie 7/8). Likewise, if only one model thinks there will be 10mm, then the chance will be shown as 13 per cent (ie 1/8).

A forecast in a graphical format of rainfall totals for days one to four and days five to eight is also available.

You can also use the web site to find out where rain has fallen recently, to see how the season’s rainfall compares to previous years, or check out the long-term average.

If you would like further information about this web page, or any other services the Bureau can offer pastoralists, then please contact Neil Bennett on (08) 9263 2222 or email webwa@bom.gov.au

Pastoralists received some welcome news recently when the State Government announced changes to the Pastoral Water Grants Scheme – including an increase in the maximum grant to $20,000.

The Pastoral Water Grants Scheme assists pastoralists to deal with overgrazing and land degradation by contributing to improvements in land management and homestead water supplies.

It encourages sustainable grazing management and is also designed to secure pastoral properties against water shortages.

Since its inception in December 1999, 79 pastoral water grants valued at $800,000 have been approved under the scheme.

Who is eligible?

Commercial pastoralists holding leases in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne/Murchison and Goldfields/Nullarbor regions can seek assistance under the scheme.

The latest changes mean pastoralists operating a commercial pastoral business can claim 70 per cent of expenditure on approved water supply improvement work up to a maximum of $20,000.

What can be funded?

Grants are available to establish new watering points, upgrade existing points and install improved homestead water supplies.

Types of projects eligible for assistance include construction and enhancement of dams and water catchment performance, drilling, equipping of bores, reticulation, pumps and tanks, water treatment equipment and refurbishment of key water supply systems.

To be successful, pastoralists must be able to demonstrate the need for improved water supplies on the property. Priority will be given to those stations demonstrating the greatest water deficiency or anticipated environmental benefit to the rangeland resulting from the proposed improvements.

When to apply

Grant rounds under the scheme close at the end of February, June and October.

Technical officers at the Department of Agriculture and Food’s District Offices are available to assist pastoralists to plan water supply improvements on their leases.

For more information on the scheme, contact the Department of Water on freecall 1800 780 300 or visit the Department of Water’s website: www.water.wa.gov.au

Increase in pastoral water grants

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Help for the Homestead

Help for the Homestead

Grants and subsidies for pastoralists

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Substantial subsidies for station power suppliesAs a pastoralist using diesel generators to provide power to your station, you would be aware that the cost of diesel fuel is rising rapidly and becoming a major cost to your station’s operating budget.If you are considering installing a Remote Area Power Supply (RAPS) then perhaps the Country Housing Authority (CHA) can assist.

The CHA loan program has been made available to pastoralists to help finance the cost of installing renewable energy generating equipment.

A 55 per cent rebate is available from the Sustainable Energy Development Office (SEDO) for eligible projects and the CHA can finance the remaining 45 per cent.

The total cost of the RAPS can be funded initially with no outlay on your behalf.

On completion of the project, the rebate from SEDO is paid direct to the CHA to reduce the loan by the rebated amount.

During the past two years, 32 pastoralists have taken advantage of the CHA program.

By installing a RAPS, your power generation/fuel costs will be substantially reduced and can become virtually cost neutral. There are many variables in the size of the unit to be replaced and its fuel consumption; however, in some cases the installation of a RAPS system can even be cash flow positive.

For example, if you currently run a 20KVA ‘gen set’ using three litres of diesel per hour for 16 hours per day at $1.30 per litre, your annual fuel cost would be $22,776. If you installed a 20KVA RAPS at an estimated cost of $200,000 the rebate of 55 per cent would be $110,000 leaving a balance to be financed of $90,000. The annual repayment of principal and interest

for $90,000 to the CHA would be $8,800 over a 20-year period.

This example is based on fuel usage only and does not take into account maintenance or replacement costs. Even so it can be seen that considerable savings can be achieved.

Brochures are available at your local Shire Office or Telecentre.

The Country Housing Authority will come to you, so if you are interested and wish to apply, Murray Harrison will be able to organise a suitable time to visit your station and discuss your requirements.

For further information phone Murray on 1800 158 200 (free call), or email cha@dhw.wa.gov.au

To visit the website go to www.dhw.wa.gov.au and click on the Country Housing Authority.

Cash incentives to buy energy-efficient appliancesA new scheme launched in December 2006 means people who live outside the main electricity grid will be eligible for cash-back rebates for a range of energy-efficient appliances and insulation. Eligible residents are also entitled to four free energy-saving lamps.

The rebates available under the scheme are:

• up to $150 for fridges and freezers with an energy rating of four stars and above;

• up to $150 for refrigerative air-conditioners with an energy rating of five stars and above;

• 30 per cent of the cost of ceiling insulation (up to $400) installed in homes built before July 2003; and

• 50 per cent of the cost of controllers (up to $50 per item) for lighting banks, air-conditioners, fans and other high energy consuming equipment which is commonly left on when not required.

For further information on the Regional Energy Efficiency Program, contact the Energy Smart Line on 1300 658 158, your local shire office or visit the website www.sedo.energy.wa.gov.au/pages/reepp.asp

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Help for the Homestead

Funding for fencing of road reserves on main roads

The roads are under the control of Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA), which for many years has contributed to the cost of construction of boundary fences adjacent to pastoral leases.

Such contributions are subject to availability of MRWA funds for fencing and the willingness of individual pastoralists to enter into a written legal agreement covering each party’s responsibilities and contributions towards costs. The basis of fencing agreements is cost-sharing of initial construction with subsequent maintenance being the responsibility of the pastoralist.

Cooperation between pastoralists and MRWA has resulted in extensive lengths of new fencing to the benefit of both parties. The benefits include:

• improvements in stock management;

• reduced risk of stock deaths on the road;

• reduced risks to the travelling public from wandering stock;

• reduced risk of litigation for injury and damages;

• conservation of roadside vegetation; and

• reduced numbers of stock grids required on the road.

Cost Sharing

The basic formula for sharing of construction costs is 50:50. However, MRWA discounts the fencing costs to be shared by the amount saved eliminating the need for future grid replacement.

If road reserve fencing will result in preventing stock from reaching water sources, then MRWA will contribute towards the costs of new or relocated water points. The amount of the contribution is subject to negotiation for each specific case.

Under the fencing agreement, the standard of the fence must be agreed and be appropriate for the type of stock involved. If there is disagreement or uncertainty of the fence standard which is appropriate, then advice is sought from other parties, such as the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Because MRWA contributions come from public funds, it is essential that the expenditure demonstrates value for money. The MRWA policy is to tender for fence construction works. However, there is provision to waive tenders if pastoralists are not prepared or able to pay their share to a fencing contractor but is willing to construct the fence themselves. MRWA will then assess the pastoralist’s quote for value for money against current market rates for equivalent work.

Other considerations

• Maintenance. This is the most common concern of MRWA. Ongoing fence maintenance is the responsibility of the pastoralist. There are some instances of pastoralists not maintaining the fences to prevent stock entering the road reserve. There could be many reasons for this including a lack of funds, change of lessee or general poor stock management practices.

In the pastoral regions of WA there are about 8,860 km of highways and main roads. Of these, approximately 3,615 km are fenced on both sides and 1,307 km fenced on one side only.

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• Natural Disasters. When fences are damaged extensively or destroyed by floods or fires, then the pastoralist might not have the resources or be willing to reconstruct the fence. MRWA is currently considering such situations. One solution could be insurance to cover the cost of these events.

• Insurance against fence loss or damage. Pastoralists have informed MRWA that insurance companies will not cover fences for fire damage if appropriate firebreaks are not in place. To protect the fence, a firebreak is usually needed on both sides. Construction of firebreaks is expensive and MRWA does not usually maintain a firebreak on the road reserve side. Advice on clearing should be sought from the Department of Environment and Conservation.

• Change in Stock. For pastoralists who change stock, for example from sheep to cattle, the sheep standard fence might not be sufficient to prevent cattle entering the road reserve. Contribution by MRWA towards upgrading or reconstructing the fence for these reasons is not paid at present, but this is under consideration. Relevant factors determining the cost sharing could include whether MRWA had previously contributed to initial construction, the cost of upgrade and the likelihood of and risks associated with stock getting out onto the road.

• Aboriginal Heritage Clearances. MRWA is required to comply with the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972.

If disturbance of the ground to construct the fence is likely to impact Aboriginal interests, then a heritage survey is required and is to be included in the cost of the fence. This can be a high cost, which can become an issue for MRWA and the pastoralist.

Moving forward

In recent years, the MRWA fencing policy has been an important factor in improving the standard and increasing the length of fencing along road reserve boundaries in pastoral areas.

It is expected that this will continue and that addressing some of the issues will lead to even better outcomes. MRWA has also been involved in discussions with the Pastoralists and Graziers’ Association

for some time in an attempt to achieve practical improvements in road reserve fencing management for the benefit of pastoralists and the State.

Pastoralists are welcome to contact their MRWA regional office for more information on the fencing policy and fencing agreements.

Funding for fencing of road reserves on main roads cont.

Save money with a ‘seasonal vehicle licence’You can now apply for a ‘seasonal vehicle licence’ for a heavy vehicle used only for seasonal work. This means you only pay the licence for the time the vehicle is being used, which could save you considerable money. For further information, visit www.dpi.wa.gov.au/seasonalor call 13 11 56.

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Free computer training and access to a telephone help desk is now available for people living in remote parts of Western Australia.Under a Commonwealth Government-funded project Future Skilling Outback WA, trainers are now travelling into remote areas of WA to teach computer skills.

The project aims to train up to 5,800 people in 187 remote communities and stations.

There are two levels of training available. Basic Information Communication Technology (ICT) training is 12 hours of face-to-face training, in which people will learn how to operate a computer, set-up email accounts, search the Internet, use Internet banking, do word processing and perform other computer skills.

The second level of training is Technical Support Training, which includes nine hours of face-to-face training and is aimed at helping more advanced computer users get the most out of their computers by teaching hardware and software maintenance. In particular, it will help people deal with the problems of spam and computer viruses.

A free help desk is also available where computer technicians can talk you through computer problems as they arise.

The project is managed by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development and funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, as part of its IT Training and Technical Support Program.

The regions covered are the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Murchison and Goldfields-Esperance.

If you or your station staff would like to take advantage of this program, the Department may be able to send a trainer to you. The program operates with five or more trainees, so even if you don’t have enough people on your station, you could get together with a neighbouring station.

To contact the Department of Local Government and Regional Development and find out more, email futureskilling@dlgrd.wa.gov.au or telephone the Project Coordinator Kathy Norris (08) 9217 1450 or freecall 1800 620 511 (country callers only).

Free computer training for pastoralists

Kimberley TAFE staff setting up a satellite dish.

Help for the Homestead

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A second publication featuring pastoral identities and their stories, compiled by Jano Foulkes-Taylor of Tardie Station, will be launched in June.

The history of the PGA

Pastoralists from WA’s Kimberley, the Pilbara and the Goldfields first came together to address industrial problems in the shearing industry, as well as transport and other issues, just after Federation in 1901.

Founders of the PGA in 1907 included members of State Parliament, who were also pastoral leaseholders and recognised the value of professional representation.

The success of the PGA in resolving pastoral issues at both State and Federal levels was extended to WA’s agricultural areas in the 1970s, creating a unique mix of like-minded pastoralists and farmers.

The overriding objective of PGA from the outset was the promotion of free-enterprise and competition in the

2007 – The Centenary of the Pastoralists and Graziers’ AssociationThe Pastoralists and Graziers’ Association of WA – Australia’s oldest surviving rural lobby group, will celebrate its centenary in 2007.

The PGA has organised a full calendar of events for its 100th year, starting with the traditional North West/Murchison cricket match and the launch of a new PGA history by Glen McLaren in Perth in January.

PGA President Sandy McTaggart of Mt. Narryer station in the Murchison will welcome the Federal Treasurer as special guest for the PGA centenary conference on February 22, to be followed by a gala dinner at Government House. Industry merit awards will be a feature of the dinner.

PGA meetings and events have been organised throughout the year, including a special dinner in Esperance in March, the annual pastoral conference in Mt. Magnet on April 28, and a gala dinner on Fossil Downs station, Fitzroy Crossing on September 1.

There will also be a PGA version of the Carnarvon Cup meeting on September 15.

rural industries, leading to its ultimate influence in dismantling the reserve price scheme for wool, removing the compulsory acquisition of lamb in WA and opening WA’s coarse grains industry to competition.

More recent pastoral issues addressed by the PGA have included Native Title, land tenure, vermin control and communication services.

PGA members have been closely associated with the Pastoral Lands Board and its forerunners since their organisation was formed in 1907, with pastoralists from most of the rangeland regions holding positions on the board at various times.

For more information on the PGA’s Centenary celebrations contact Barry Court, via Sandy Hayter at the PGA, either by telephone (08) 9479 4599 or email pga@pgaofwa.org.au Website www.pgaofwa.org.au.

PGA chairman Sandy McTaggart (centre) with vice presidents Ruth Webb-Smith and Rob Gillam

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It is important for pastoralists to ensure that the Pastoral Lands Board has the most current contact details.

Correspondence from the Board is important for pastoralists and if it is not received, or received late, there may be significant consequences.

In particular, if there is a change of station manager, or accountants that receive mail on behalf of the lessee, you must update your contact details with us as soon as possible.

Updating contact details is simple.

To change your contact details just visit our website at: www.dpi.wa.gov.au/pastoral then click on ‘Change your Contact Details’ in the navigation bar on the left, click on the PDF, print the form, fill it out, ensure the lessee(s) sign it and send it to us.

The form has three levels of contact:

• the station manager, for emergencies where we need to contact a person on the ground;

• the lessee contact, who is the person who is to receive correspondence regarding routine enquires/matters, eg a person seeking permission to access a pastoral lease; and

• the registered lessee of the pastoral lease for correspondence that must, by legislation, be sent to the registered lessee.

If you don’t have access to the Internet, call this office on (08) 9347 5126 for a form.

Get your contact details up-to-date

Pastoral Lands BoardTelephone: (08) 9347 5126Facsimile: (08) 9347 5009Email: plb@dpi.wa.gov.auWebsite: www.dpi.wa.gov.au/pastoral

Address: Pastoral Land Business UnitDepartment for Planning and InfrastructurePO Box 1575MIDLAND WA 6936

ISSN: 1834-2566